SmogRank / Episodes / United States
Florida and Georgia, United States, December 2023 to January 2024
For 2 days, from 31 December 2023 to 1 January 2024, 17 cities in the United States had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Homestead, Florida, United States: 64.1 µg/m³ on 31 December, about 10× its usual 6.3.
Likely New Year fireworks It came on the night of 31 December, when smoke from fireworks often fills the air over many cities at once.
Cities reached 17 in 1 country
Days 2 31 December 2023 to 1 January 2024
Worst day 1 January 15 cities counted
Furthest above usual 10× Homestead
Day by day
Play 1 January 15 cities at twice their usual or more
Gainesville Sarasota Daytona Beach Venice Palm Bay Fruit Cove Jacksonville Ponte Vedra Beach Palm City Belle Glade Wellington Brunswick Tallahassee Delray Beach Davie Savannah Albany Ocala Bonita Springs East Lake Weston Valrico Valdosta Fort Lauderdale Coconut Creek Lakeland Tampa Deerfield Beach Winter Park Safety Harbor Miami Lake Mary Homestead 28 Dec 29 30 31 1 Jan 2 3 4 Every measured city in the area, coloured by its PM2.5 that day; a dark ring marks a city at twice its usual or more. Bars: cities counted each day, coloured by their median level. Choose a day or press play; without JavaScript, the days link to that day's world ranking.
How it spread
Homestead Homestead, 28 December: 4.1 µg/m³ Homestead, 29 December: 4.2 µg/m³ Homestead, 30 December: 13.2 µg/m³ Homestead, 31 December: 64.1 µg/m³, 10× its usual 6.3 Homestead, 1 January: 39.4 µg/m³, 6.1× its usual 6.5 Homestead, 2 January: 12.2 µg/m³ Homestead, 3 January: 10.1 µg/m³ Homestead, 4 January: 8.3 µg/m³ Valdosta Valdosta, 28 December: 6.7 µg/m³ Valdosta, 29 December: 6.1 µg/m³ Valdosta, 30 December: 19.2 µg/m³ Valdosta, 31 December: 46.6 µg/m³, 5.6× its usual 8.3 Valdosta, 1 January: 12.9 µg/m³ Valdosta, 2 January: 14.8 µg/m³ Valdosta, 3 January: 17.9 µg/m³ Valdosta, 4 January: 8.8 µg/m³ Deerfield Beach Deerfield Beach, 28 December: 5.5 µg/m³ Deerfield Beach, 29 December: 5.3 µg/m³ Deerfield Beach, 30 December: 12.4 µg/m³ Deerfield Beach, 31 December: 38.1 µg/m³, 6.1× its usual 6.2 Deerfield Beach, 1 January: 41.5 µg/m³, 6.7× its usual 6.2 Deerfield Beach, 2 January: 10.0 µg/m³ Deerfield Beach, 3 January: 7.0 µg/m³ Deerfield Beach, 4 January: 8.6 µg/m³ Albany Albany, 28 December: 6.6 µg/m³ Albany, 29 December: 7.2 µg/m³ Albany, 30 December: 13.9 µg/m³ Albany, 31 December: 25.3 µg/m³, 3.2× its usual 7.8 Albany, 1 January: 9.8 µg/m³ Albany, 2 January: 12.2 µg/m³ Albany, 3 January: 16.0 µg/m³ Albany, 4 January: 14.7 µg/m³ Valrico Valrico, 28 December: 7.4 µg/m³ Valrico, 29 December: 7.3 µg/m³ Valrico, 30 December: 14.6 µg/m³ Valrico, 31 December: 25.1 µg/m³, 3.7× its usual 6.8 Valrico, 1 January: 38.2 µg/m³, 5.5× its usual 6.9 Valrico, 2 January: 9.9 µg/m³ Valrico, 3 January: 9.3 µg/m³ Valrico, 4 January: 7.6 µg/m³ Miami Miami, 28 December: 5.8 µg/m³ Miami, 29 December: 4.9 µg/m³ Miami, 30 December: 7.0 µg/m³ Miami, 31 December: 17.7 µg/m³ Miami, 1 January: 58.6 µg/m³, 8.4× its usual 7.0 Miami, 2 January: 7.8 µg/m³ Miami, 3 January: 7.5 µg/m³ Miami, 4 January: 7.2 µg/m³ Lake Mary Lake Mary, 28 December: 7.0 µg/m³ Lake Mary, 29 December: 6.7 µg/m³ Lake Mary, 30 December: 9.6 µg/m³ Lake Mary, 31 December: 22.4 µg/m³ Lake Mary, 1 January: 50.5 µg/m³, 9.4× its usual 5.4 Lake Mary, 2 January: 6.0 µg/m³ Lake Mary, 3 January: 5.5 µg/m³ Lake Mary, 4 January: 6.5 µg/m³ Tampa Tampa, 28 December: 6.4 µg/m³ Tampa, 29 December: 5.3 µg/m³ Tampa, 30 December: 8.8 µg/m³ Tampa, 31 December: 17.7 µg/m³ Tampa, 1 January: 44.1 µg/m³, 6.6× its usual 6.7 Tampa, 2 January: 7.2 µg/m³ Tampa, 3 January: 7.6 µg/m³ Tampa, 4 January: 6.8 µg/m³ Winter Park Winter Park, 28 December: 8.3 µg/m³ Winter Park, 29 December: 7.1 µg/m³ Winter Park, 30 December: 8.5 µg/m³ Winter Park, 31 December: 16.1 µg/m³ Winter Park, 1 January: 41.9 µg/m³, 6.7× its usual 6.3 Winter Park, 2 January: 6.6 µg/m³ Winter Park, 3 January: 7.1 µg/m³ Winter Park, 4 January: 6.7 µg/m³ Safety Harbor Safety Harbor, 28 December: 5.1 µg/m³ Safety Harbor, 29 December: 4.3 µg/m³ Safety Harbor, 30 December: 9.0 µg/m³ Safety Harbor, 31 December: 16.5 µg/m³ Safety Harbor, 1 January: 41.8 µg/m³, 7.7× its usual 5.4 Safety Harbor, 2 January: 5.8 µg/m³ Safety Harbor, 3 January: 5.6 µg/m³ Safety Harbor, 4 January: 6.0 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, 28 December: 6.5 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale, 29 December: 6.7 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale, 30 December: 12.4 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale, 31 December: 24.5 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale, 1 January: 40.2 µg/m³, 5.7× its usual 7.1 Fort Lauderdale, 2 January: 11.6 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale, 3 January: 8.9 µg/m³ Fort Lauderdale, 4 January: 10.5 µg/m³ Lakeland Lakeland, 28 December: 5.4 µg/m³ Lakeland, 29 December: 5.7 µg/m³ Lakeland, 30 December: 9.1 µg/m³ Lakeland, 31 December: 23.7 µg/m³ Lakeland, 1 January: 33.3 µg/m³, 5.9× its usual 5.6 Lakeland, 2 January: 7.0 µg/m³ Lakeland, 3 January: 6.9 µg/m³ Lakeland, 4 January: 5.4 µg/m³ Coconut Creek Coconut Creek, 28 December: 4.9 µg/m³ Coconut Creek, 29 December: 4.9 µg/m³ Coconut Creek, 30 December: 6.1 µg/m³ Coconut Creek, 31 December: 16.2 µg/m³ Coconut Creek, 1 January: 32.9 µg/m³, 5.9× its usual 5.6 Coconut Creek, 2 January: 8.1 µg/m³ Coconut Creek, 3 January: 6.1 µg/m³ Coconut Creek, 4 January: 8.6 µg/m³ East Lake East Lake, 28 December: 5.6 µg/m³ East Lake, 29 December: no reading East Lake, 30 December: no reading East Lake, 31 December: 15.3 µg/m³ East Lake, 1 January: 31.2 µg/m³, 5.0× its usual 6.3 East Lake, 2 January: 8.3 µg/m³ East Lake, 3 January: 8.1 µg/m³ East Lake, 4 January: no reading Ocala Ocala, 28 December: 8.8 µg/m³ Ocala, 29 December: 7.6 µg/m³ Ocala, 30 December: 12.0 µg/m³ Ocala, 31 December: 16.4 µg/m³ Ocala, 1 January: 29.5 µg/m³, 3.6× its usual 8.2 Ocala, 2 January: 9.3 µg/m³ Ocala, 3 January: 8.4 µg/m³ Ocala, 4 January: 8.7 µg/m³ Bonita Springs Bonita Springs, 28 December: 6.9 µg/m³ Bonita Springs, 29 December: 7.0 µg/m³ Bonita Springs, 30 December: 7.5 µg/m³ Bonita Springs, 31 December: 18.5 µg/m³ Bonita Springs, 1 January: 28.5 µg/m³, 4.1× its usual 6.9 Bonita Springs, 2 January: 7.4 µg/m³ Bonita Springs, 3 January: 6.6 µg/m³ Bonita Springs, 4 January: 8.8 µg/m³ Weston Weston, 28 December: 4.7 µg/m³ Weston, 29 December: 3.8 µg/m³ Weston, 30 December: 7.4 µg/m³ Weston, 31 December: 13.0 µg/m³ Weston, 1 January: 27.5 µg/m³, 5.3× its usual 5.2 Weston, 2 January: 6.1 µg/m³ Weston, 3 January: 5.2 µg/m³ Weston, 4 January: 6.9 µg/m³ 28 Dec 29 30 31 1 Jan 2 3 4 Every counted city, in the order the episode reached them, 3 days before to 3 after. Each square is a day, coloured by that day's PM2.5; outlined: at twice the city's usual or more. Good 0–50
Moderate 51–100
Sensitive groups 101–150
Unhealthy 151–200
Very unhealthy 201–300
Hazardous 301+
Every city it reached
City Days Highest Usual Above usual
Homestead Florida, United States 2 31 December 6.3 10× Lake Mary Florida, United States 1 1 January 5.4 9.4× Miami Florida, United States 1 1 January 7.0 8.4× Safety Harbor Florida, United States 1 1 January 5.4 7.7× Winter Park Florida, United States 1 1 January 6.3 6.7× Deerfield Beach Florida, United States 2 1 January 6.2 6.7× Tampa Florida, United States 1 1 January 6.7 6.6× Lakeland Florida, United States 1 1 January 5.6 5.9× Coconut Creek Florida, United States 1 1 January 5.6 5.9× Fort Lauderdale Florida, United States 1 1 January 7.1 5.7× Valdosta Georgia, United States 1 31 December 8.3 5.6× Valrico Florida, United States 2 1 January 6.9 5.5× Weston Florida, United States 1 1 January 5.2 5.3× East Lake Florida, United States 1 1 January 6.3 5.0× Bonita Springs Florida, United States 1 1 January 6.9 4.1× Ocala Florida, United States 1 1 January 8.2 3.6× Albany Georgia, United States 1 31 December 7.8 3.2×
Daily means in µg/m³, over the days each city counted in this episode. Highest: its highest of those days. Usual: the city's median for the time of year of that day (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that, with a usual under 5 µg/m³ taken as 5.
Against other episodes in the United States
Number 64 of 130 episodes in the United States since our records began, by cities reached.
Eastern United States and Canada, 25 June to 2 July 2023 280 North-eastern United States and Canada, July 2026 264 Eastern United States and Canada, May and June 2023 261 North-eastern United States and Canada, 30 July to 9 August 2025 241 Eastern United States and Canada, July 2023 240 North-eastern United States and Canada, 3 to 9 June 2025 196 Eastern United States and Canada, 14 to 19 June 2023 161 North-eastern United States and Canada, 12 to 16 July 2025 119 North-western United States and Canada, August 2023 110 North-eastern United States and Canada, 10 to 14 June 2025 104 North-western United States and Canada, 4 to 11 August 2026 99 North-eastern United States and Canada, 14 to 19 February 2026 96 Florida and Georgia, United States, December 2023 to January 2024 17 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 130 .
Use this page SmogRank, Florida and Georgia, United States, December 2023 to January 2024: 17 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 31 December 2023 to 1 January 2024, smogrank.com/episodes/2023-12-florida-and-georgia-united-states (accessed 4 October 2026).
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You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms .
An episode is a run of days when many cities close to each other (four or more within 350 km on a day, 8 or more in all) each had a daily PM2.5 mean of at least 25 µg/m³ and at least 2 times their usual for that time of year. Found in our own measurements, not picked by hand. How we find episodes . Values are each city's daily mean of its own monitors; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.
