SmogRank / Episodes / Chile

South-western Chile, August 2024

For 3 days, from 18 to 20 August 2024, 11 cities in Chile had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Osorno, Los Lagos Region, Chile: 108.0 µg/m³ on 18 August, about 2.4× its usual 44.1.

No cause namedWe have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached11in 1 country
Days318 to 20 August 2024
Worst day19 August5 cities counted
Furthest above usual3.4×Talcahuano

Day by day

19 August 5 cities at twice their usual or more
NacimientoCuranilahueLotaHualquiCoronelConcepciónSan Pedro de la PazChillánToméCauquenesPuerto VarasCuricóHualpénVillarricaTemucoTalcaOsornoChiguayanteLa UniónPuerto MonttLos ÁngelesValdiviaTalcahuano
15 Aug1617181920212223
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

VillarricaVillarrica, 15 August: 115.0 µg/m³, 3.2× usualVillarrica, 16 August: 84.2 µg/m³, 2.4× usualVillarrica, 17 August: 92.1 µg/m³, 2.6× usualVillarrica, 18 August: 61.7 µg/m³, 1.7× usualVillarrica, 19 August: 74.5 µg/m³, 2.1× usualVillarrica, 20 August: 80.7 µg/m³, 2.3× usualVillarrica, 21 August: 68.8 µg/m³, 1.9× usualVillarrica, 22 August: 35.1 µg/m³, 1.0× usualVillarrica, 23 August: 53.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usualOsornoOsorno, 15 August: 97.6 µg/m³, 2.2× usualOsorno, 16 August: 86.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usualOsorno, 17 August: 76.5 µg/m³, 1.7× usualOsorno, 18 August: 108.0 µg/m³, 2.4× usualOsorno, 19 August: 72.3 µg/m³, 1.6× usualOsorno, 20 August: 70.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usualOsorno, 21 August: 80.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usualOsorno, 22 August: 77.1 µg/m³, 1.7× usualOsorno, 23 August: 81.4 µg/m³, 1.8× usualPuerto MonttPuerto Montt, 15 August: 43.0 µg/m³, 1.2× usualPuerto Montt, 16 August: 78.7 µg/m³, 2.3× usualPuerto Montt, 17 August: 61.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usualPuerto Montt, 18 August: 85.7 µg/m³, 2.5× usualPuerto Montt, 19 August: 26.2 µg/m³, 0.8× usualPuerto Montt, 20 August: 41.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usualPuerto Montt, 21 August: 52.3 µg/m³, 1.5× usualPuerto Montt, 22 August: 68.6 µg/m³, 2.0× usualPuerto Montt, 23 August: 81.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usualTemucoTemuco, 15 August: 51.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usualTemuco, 16 August: 21.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usualTemuco, 17 August: 79.4 µg/m³, 2.3× usualTemuco, 18 August: 79.4 µg/m³, 2.3× usualTemuco, 19 August: 76.4 µg/m³, 2.2× usualTemuco, 20 August: 52.4 µg/m³, 1.5× usualTemuco, 21 August: 40.4 µg/m³, 1.2× usualTemuco, 22 August: 25.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usualTemuco, 23 August: 36.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usualLa UniónLa Unión, 15 August: 62.5 µg/m³, 1.6× usualLa Unión, 16 August: no readingLa Unión, 17 August: 78.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usualLa Unión, 18 August: 66.9 µg/m³, 1.7× usualLa Unión, 19 August: 98.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usualLa Unión, 20 August: 51.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usualLa Unión, 21 August: 62.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usualLa Unión, 22 August: 51.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usualLa Unión, 23 August: 48.8 µg/m³, 1.3× usualValdiviaValdivia, 15 August: 71.6 µg/m³, 1.9× usualValdivia, 16 August: 63.6 µg/m³, 1.7× usualValdivia, 17 August: 65.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usualValdivia, 18 August: 99.0 µg/m³, 2.7× usualValdivia, 19 August: 69.3 µg/m³, 1.9× usualValdivia, 20 August: 66.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usualValdivia, 21 August: 62.5 µg/m³, 1.7× usualValdivia, 22 August: 46.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usualValdivia, 23 August: 53.5 µg/m³, 1.4× usualLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles, 15 August: 38.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usualLos Ángeles, 16 August: 39.6 µg/m³, 1.4× usualLos Ángeles, 17 August: 20.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usualLos Ángeles, 18 August: 24.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usualLos Ángeles, 19 August: 63.3 µg/m³, 2.2× usualLos Ángeles, 20 August: 73.8 µg/m³, 2.6× usualLos Ángeles, 21 August: 36.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usualLos Ángeles, 22 August: 19.2 µg/m³, 0.7× usualLos Ángeles, 23 August: 30.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usualChiguayanteChiguayante, 15 August: 35.3 µg/m³, 1.5× usualChiguayante, 16 August: 44.7 µg/m³, 1.9× usualChiguayante, 17 August: 39.8 µg/m³, 1.7× usualChiguayante, 18 August: 36.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usualChiguayante, 19 August: 60.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usualChiguayante, 20 August: 47.4 µg/m³, 2.0× usualChiguayante, 21 August: 19.6 µg/m³, 0.8× usualChiguayante, 22 August: 20.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usualChiguayante, 23 August: 22.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usualHualpénHualpén, 15 August: 38.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usualHualpén, 16 August: 51.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usualHualpén, 17 August: 65.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usualHualpén, 18 August: 54.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usualHualpén, 19 August: 62.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usualHualpén, 20 August: 94.4 µg/m³, 2.2× usualHualpén, 21 August: 60.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usualHualpén, 22 August: 84.3 µg/m³, 2.0× usualHualpén, 23 August: 44.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usualTalcahuanoTalcahuano, 15 August: 24.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usualTalcahuano, 16 August: 29.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usualTalcahuano, 17 August: 39.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usualTalcahuano, 18 August: 37.5 µg/m³, 1.4× usualTalcahuano, 19 August: 50.7 µg/m³, 1.9× usualTalcahuano, 20 August: 90.6 µg/m³, 3.4× usualTalcahuano, 21 August: 19.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usualTalcahuano, 22 August: 44.9 µg/m³, 1.7× usualTalcahuano, 23 August: 38.6 µg/m³, 1.4× usualTalcaTalca, 15 August: 31.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usualTalca, 16 August: 42.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usualTalca, 17 August: 22.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usualTalca, 18 August: 30.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usualTalca, 19 August: 56.4 µg/m³, 1.9× usualTalca, 20 August: 69.1 µg/m³, 2.4× usualTalca, 21 August: 45.3 µg/m³, 1.6× usualTalca, 22 August: 19.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usualTalca, 23 August: 25.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual15 Aug1617181920212223
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.
Good0–50
Moderate51–100
Sensitive groups101–150
Unhealthy151–200
Very unhealthy201–300
Hazardous301+

Every city it reached

CityDaysHighestUsualAbove usual
TalcahuanoBiobio, Chile1 90.620 August26.83.4×
VillarricaAraucania, Chile2 115.015 August35.63.2×
ValdiviaLos Ríos Region, Chile1 99.018 August37.32.7×
Los ÁngelesBiobio, Chile2 73.820 August28.22.6×
La UniónLos Ríos Region, Chile1 98.019 August38.52.5×
ChiguayanteBiobio, Chile1 60.019 August23.92.5×
Puerto MonttLos Lagos Region, Chile1 85.718 August34.92.5×
OsornoLos Lagos Region, Chile1 108.018 August44.12.4×
TalcaMaule Region, Chile1 69.120 August29.12.4×
TemucoAraucania, Chile2 79.417 August34.62.3×
HualpénBiobio, Chile1 94.420 August42.42.2×

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 Chile

Number 15 of 30 episodes in Chile since our records began, by cities reached.

Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 30.

Use this page

SmogRank, South-western Chile, August 2024: 11 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 18 to 20 August 2024, smogrank.com/episodes/2024-08-south-western-chile-3 (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.