Cleveland, OH Air Quality & Smog

Dominant pollutants, when smog is worst, notable historical episodes, and local agency resources for Cleveland, OH, plus how to check the current AQI. For real-time readings, the free Smog Report iOS app pulls live air quality from EPA AirNow.

Dominant pollutants

PM2.5 (steel industry + Great Lakes wildfire-smoke transport), ozone (summer).

Seasonal pattern: when smog is worst

Cleveland's Cuyahoga River flats host Cleveland-Cliffs' integrated steel mill, one of the largest in the country, which keeps PM2.5 elevated on the near east and south sides year-round. Summer adds ozone from regional vehicle and industrial emissions, the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area has carried EPA ozone nonattainment designations at various points. Cleveland's position directly on Lake Erie also puts it in the path of Canadian wildfire smoke transport: when a low-pressure system sets up over Ontario or Quebec, northwesterly flow can carry smoke straight down across the lake into the metro, on top of the local industrial baseline.

A recent or notable event

June 2023, smoke from Canadian wildfires pushed Cleveland's AQI into "unhealthy" and "very unhealthy" territory for multiple days, one of several Great Lakes cities to post code-red air quality that summer. The same northwesterly transport pattern has recurred in subsequent summers and is worth treating as the seasonal baseline rather than a one-off.

Local agencies and resources

The City of Cleveland runs its own local air-pollution-control agency, one of relatively few US cities to do so directly rather than relying solely on the state or county.

• Ohio EPA
• Cleveland Division of Air Quality (Cleveland Department of Public Health)

How to check air quality in Cleveland

The EPA's AirNow.gov publishes the canonical reading from the nearest regulatory monitor. For glanceable iPhone access, including widgets, Live Activities, Siri voice queries, and Apple Watch, install Smog Report. It's free, requires no account, and pulls from the same AirNow API.

For Cleveland-specific advisories and alerts that go beyond the federal AirNow feed, check the agency pages above directly.

Common questions about Cleveland air quality

Why does Cleveland have air-quality and smog problems?

Cleveland's Cuyahoga River flats host Cleveland-Cliffs' integrated steel mill, one of the largest in the country, which drives elevated PM2.5 on the near east and south sides. The Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area has also carried EPA ozone nonattainment designations at various points, driven by summer heat plus regional vehicle and industrial emissions. Cleveland's position on Lake Erie also puts it directly downwind of Canadian wildfire smoke transport during Ontario and Quebec fire seasons.

What are the main air pollutants in Cleveland?

Cleveland's dominant pollutants are PM2.5 (steel industry + Great Lakes wildfire-smoke transport) and ozone (summer). The AQI on any given day is usually driven by whichever of these is highest.

Has Cleveland had a major air-quality or smog event?

June 2023, smoke from Canadian wildfires pushed Cleveland's AQI into "unhealthy" and "very unhealthy" territory for multiple days, one of several Great Lakes cities to post code-red air quality that summer. The same northwesterly transport pattern has recurred in subsequent summers.

How can I check Cleveland's air quality right now?

The EPA's AirNow.gov publishes the official reading from the nearest regulatory monitor. For live AQI on your iPhone, with home-screen widgets, Lock Screen Live Activities, Siri, and Apple Watch, the free Smog Report app pulls from the same AirNow feed. No account is required.

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