The concentration of NO2 was higher than WHO guidelines throughout January, and the high pollution alert was a little late
- By AirScape
- February 6, 2023
The concentration of NO2 was higher than WHO guidelines throughout January, and the high pollution alert was a little late
Based on the data gathered by the Camden Network in London, January was another eventful month regarding air pollution.
NO2 data exhibited stable daily patterns, with of higher concentrations coinciding with cold air and low wind speed in the 2nd half of the month. The concentration of NO2 was higher than WHO guidelines throughout January.
Changes in wind direction and intensity from continental Europe saw Ozone levels showing much higher variability.
PM showed some moderation in January compared to December. The highest PM concentration was observed between 21st and 26th of January corresponding to the low temperatures in that period.
High pollution in January was also noticed by London authorities. A “high pollution alert” was issued on 24th January following the forecast from Imperial College London. The alert correctly predicted pollution events for the next few days. However, it was late to caution citizens against increased pollution during the weekend (21st and 22nd January). Live data from airscape.ai showed in real time the increased pollution over the Camden borough and could have a real impact on those more vulnerable to air pollution. Figure 7 clearly shows that high PM concentrations were observed already on 22nd of January. This also corresponds well with NO2 data from the same period.
Read the full report here