SmogRank / Episodes / Germany
Germany and Czechia, January 2024
For 1 day, on 1 January 2024, 16 cities in Germany, Czechia and Slovakia had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Worms, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany: 47.5 µg/m³ on 1 January, about 3.4× its usual 14.0.
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 16 in 3 countries
Days 1 1 January 2024
Worst day 1 January 16 cities counted
Furthest above usual 3.8× Most
Day by day
Play 1 January 16 cities at twice their usual or more
Kadaň Sokolov Litvínov Pilsen Altenburg Greiz Marktredwitz Gera Kladno Beroun Weiden Děčín Weißenfels Prague Schwandorf in Bayern Wittenberg Jena Saalfeld Lubnjow Köthen Weimar Mladá Boleslav Cottbus Passau Kelheim Blankenfelde-Mahlow Potsdam Kleinmachnow České Budějovice Liberec Brandenburg an der Havel Coburg Erfurt Falkensee Nauen Burg bei Magdeburg Neuenhagen Magdeburg Burghausen Strausberg Suhl Eisenhüttenstadt Sondershausen Linz Wels Frankfurt (Oder) Halberstadt Traunreut Traun Nordhausen Ansfelden Neuruppin Eberswalde Meiningen Ansbach Mühlhausen Jelenia Góra Steyr Pardubice Eisenach Wittenberge Schwedt (Oder) Amstetten Starnberg Augsburg Goslar Hansestadt Salzwedel Braunschweig Würzburg Salzgitter Gorzów Wielkopolski Göttingen Witzenhausen Aalen Fulda Znojmo Sankt Pölten Lauda-Königshofen Hildesheim Kłodzko Neu-Ulm Ulm Kassel Brno Židenice Hannover Klosterneuburg Aschaffenburg Perchtoldsdorf Kościan Vienna Biberach an der Riß Mödling Baden Großostheim Heilbronn Wrocław Michelstadt Ludwigsburg Hanau am Main Stuttgart Filderstadt Olomouc Reutlingen Marburg an der Lahn Nysa Rinteln Frankfurt am Main Gießen Poznań Tübingen Darmstadt Heidelberg Eschborn Bensheim Wiesloch Kroměříž Přerov Herrenberg Königstein im Taunus Pforzheim Karlova Ves Rüsselsheim am Main Lampertheim Bratislava Senica Mannheim Ludwigshafen am Rhein Speyer Zlín Mainz Bielefeld Warstein Wiesbaden Oyten Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Karlsruhe Opava Opole Krapkowice Netphen Trnava Limburg an der Lahn Valašské Meziříčí Soest Baden-Baden Villingen-Schwenningen Delmenhorst Kędzierzyn-Koźle Racibórz Bad Kreuznach Trenčín Kalisz Ostrava Osnabrück Kaiserslautern Havířov Wodzisław Śląski Nitra Bendorf Koblenz Unna Lüdenscheid Kehl Jastrzębie Zdrój Neuwied Schwerte Český Těšín Cieszyn Partizánske Münster Hagen Třinec Dortmund Freiburg Friesoythe Prievidza Hattingen Wuppertal Bonn Handlová Katowice Czechowice-Dziedzice Müllheim Martin Gelsenkirchen Žiar nad Hronom Leverkusen Lingen Köln Essen Toruń Saarbrücken Łask Bottrop Ratingen Forbach Esztergom Oberhausen Düsseldorf Banská Bystrica Borken Duisburg Zvolen Ružomberok Enschede Bergheim Włocławek Trier Radomsko Zgierz Krefeld Łódź Jüchen Kutno Mönchengladbach Lunéville Épinal Bohumín Berlin Hradec Králové Teplice Ústí nad Labem Žilina Datteln Bamberg Teltow Munich Frýdek-Místek Bernau bei Berlin Halle (Saale) Worms Nuremberg Most 29 Dec 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
Bohumín Bohumín, 29 December: 8.1 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Bohumín, 30 December: 6.5 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Bohumín, 31 December: 48.8 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Bohumín, 1 January: 29.7 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Bohumín, 2 January: 4.3 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Bohumín, 3 January: no reading Bohumín, 4 January: no reading Worms Worms, 29 December: 2.3 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Worms, 30 December: 6.0 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Worms, 31 December: 8.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Worms, 1 January: 47.5 µg/m³, 3.4× usual Worms, 2 January: 2.1 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Worms, 3 January: 2.8 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Worms, 4 January: 4.4 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Frýdek-Místek Frýdek-Místek, 29 December: 6.3 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Frýdek-Místek, 30 December: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Frýdek-Místek, 31 December: 10.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Frýdek-Místek, 1 January: 45.5 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Frýdek-Místek, 2 January: no reading Frýdek-Místek, 3 January: no reading Frýdek-Místek, 4 January: no reading Žilina Žilina, 29 December: 27.2 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Žilina, 30 December: 36.3 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Žilina, 31 December: 24.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Žilina, 1 January: 41.3 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Žilina, 2 January: 10.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Žilina, 3 January: 10.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Žilina, 4 January: 3.1 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Most Most, 29 December: 4.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Most, 30 December: no reading Most, 31 December: 22.3 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Most, 1 January: 40.0 µg/m³, 3.8× usual Most, 2 January: 5.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Most, 3 January: 3.9 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Most, 4 January: no reading Nuremberg Nuremberg, 29 December: 4.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Nuremberg, 30 December: 6.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Nuremberg, 31 December: 10.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Nuremberg, 1 January: 35.2 µg/m³, 3.5× usual Nuremberg, 2 January: 2.4 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Nuremberg, 3 January: 4.1 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Nuremberg, 4 January: 4.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Teltow Teltow, 29 December: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Teltow, 30 December: 8.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Teltow, 31 December: 13.2 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Teltow, 1 January: 34.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Teltow, 2 January: 6.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Teltow, 3 January: 4.6 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Teltow, 4 January: 4.5 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Bernau bei Berlin Bernau bei Berlin, 29 December: 3.6 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Bernau bei Berlin, 30 December: 7.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Bernau bei Berlin, 31 December: 12.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Bernau bei Berlin, 1 January: 31.6 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Bernau bei Berlin, 2 January: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Bernau bei Berlin, 3 January: 3.0 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Bernau bei Berlin, 4 January: 2.3 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Halle (Saale) Halle (Saale), 29 December: 2.0 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Halle (Saale), 30 December: 3.8 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Halle (Saale), 31 December: 10.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Halle (Saale), 1 January: 29.6 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Halle (Saale), 2 January: 2.7 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Halle (Saale), 3 January: 1.7 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Halle (Saale), 4 January: 3.6 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Teplice Teplice, 29 December: 8.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Teplice, 30 December: 7.1 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Teplice, 31 December: 22.1 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Teplice, 1 January: 28.9 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Teplice, 2 January: 7.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Teplice, 3 January: 7.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Teplice, 4 January: 4.5 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Ústí nad Labem Ústí nad Labem, 29 December: 11.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ústí nad Labem, 30 December: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ústí nad Labem, 31 December: 20.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Ústí nad Labem, 1 January: 28.4 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Ústí nad Labem, 2 January: 8.4 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Ústí nad Labem, 3 January: 9.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Ústí nad Labem, 4 January: no reading Datteln Datteln, 29 December: 4.7 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Datteln, 30 December: 6.2 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Datteln, 31 December: 5.6 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Datteln, 1 January: 27.8 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Datteln, 2 January: 2.8 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Datteln, 3 January: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Datteln, 4 January: 5.2 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Munich Munich, 29 December: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Munich, 30 December: 7.2 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Munich, 31 December: 5.8 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Munich, 1 January: 27.7 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Munich, 2 January: 1.8 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Munich, 3 January: 2.0 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Munich, 4 January: 2.4 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Hradec Králové Hradec Králové, 29 December: 8.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Hradec Králové, 30 December: 4.0 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Hradec Králové, 31 December: 18.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Hradec Králové, 1 January: 27.1 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Hradec Králové, 2 January: 4.9 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Hradec Králové, 3 January: 4.3 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Hradec Králové, 4 January: 3.5 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Bamberg Bamberg, 29 December: 3.8 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Bamberg, 30 December: 6.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bamberg, 31 December: 5.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Bamberg, 1 January: 26.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Bamberg, 2 January: 2.4 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Bamberg, 3 January: 1.3 µg/m³, 0.1× usual Bamberg, 4 January: 1.6 µg/m³, 0.2× usual Berlin Berlin, 29 December: 5.6 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Berlin, 30 December: 9.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Berlin, 31 December: 13.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Berlin, 1 January: 25.5 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Berlin, 2 January: 6.4 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Berlin, 3 January: 4.4 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Berlin, 4 January: 3.3 µg/m³, 0.3× usual 29 Dec 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
Most Ústí nad Labem Region, Czechia 1 1 January 10.5 3.8× Nuremberg Bavaria, Germany 1 1 January 10.0 3.5× Worms Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany 1 1 January 14.0 3.4× Bohumín Moravian-Silesian Region, Czechia 1 31 December 14.8 3.3× Bernau bei Berlin Brandenburg, Germany 1 1 January 10.1 3.1× Halle (Saale) Saxony-Anhalt, Germany 1 1 January 9.6 3.1× Frýdek-Místek Moravian-Silesian Region, Czechia 1 1 January 15.0 3.0× Munich Bavaria, Germany 1 1 January 10.7 2.6× Teltow Brandenburg, Germany 1 1 January 13.6 2.5× Bamberg Bavaria, Germany 1 1 January 10.5 2.5× Datteln North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany 1 1 January 12.0 2.3× Žilina Žilina Region, Slovakia 1 1 January 18.0 2.3× Ústí nad Labem Ústí nad Labem Region, Czechia 1 1 January 12.9 2.2× Teplice Ústí nad Labem Region, Czechia 1 1 January 13.3 2.2× Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Region, Czechia 1 1 January 12.8 2.1× Berlin State of Berlin, Germany 1 1 January 12.7 2.0×
Daily means in µg/m³. Usual: the city's median for this time of year (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that.
Against other episodes in Germany and Czechia
Number 34 of 39 episodes in Germany and Czechia since our records began, by cities reached.
Central Europe, February 2023 608 Central Europe, February and March 2025 513 Central Europe, February 2025 503 Central Europe, January and February 2026 498 Central Europe, March 2025 458 Central Europe, January 2024 449 Central Europe, March 2026 442 Central Europe, January 2025 383 Central Europe, March 2026 361 Central Europe, March 2025 333 Central Europe, February and March 2024 264 Eastern Europe, November 2024 260 Germany and Czechia, January 2024 16 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 39 .
Use this page SmogRank, Germany and Czechia, January 2024: 16 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 1 January 2024, smogrank.com/episodes/2024-01-germany-and-czechia (accessed 3 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.
