SmogRank / Episodes / Brazil

São Paulo and Paraná, Brazil, October 2024

For 4 days, from 8 to 11 October 2024, 13 cities in Brazil had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil: 61.0 µg/m³ on 9 October, about 4.3× its usual 14.1. Ended 11 October.

Few fires were detected near these cities on those days. Spreads like this usually come from still weather trapping smoke from heating, traffic and industry, or from dust.
Cities reached13in 1 country
Days48 to 11 October 2024
Worst day8 October12 cities counted
Furthest above usual4.3×Ribeirão Preto

Day by day

8 October 12 cities at twice their usual or more
CuritibaAraucáriaJundiaíSão PauloSanto AndréFerraz de VasconcelosItaquaquecetubaSantosSão José dos CamposCampinasPiracicabaLimeiraPaulíniaBauruRio ClaroGuarapuavaFrancisco BeltrãoSão José do Rio PretoMaringáLondrinaPresidente PrudenteRibeirão Preto

On the map: 1,053 fire detections.

5 Oct67891011121314
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.
  • Fires, seenHeat NASA satellites detected that day; bigger and glowing means more detections in the area. Farm burning and other fires count too, not only wildfires.

Under the cities, for each UTC day: fires NASA satellites detected, smoke NOAA analysts traced and volcanic ash warnings for aircraft. They show what was in the air, not that it caused the readings. Mapped for 5 of the 10 days shown.

Fires: NASA FIRMS (VIIRS). Traced smoke: NOAA Hazard Mapping System. Volcanic ash: aviation ash warnings (SIGMETs) via NOAA's Aviation Weather Center.

How it spread

Ribeirão PretoRibeirão Preto, 5 October: 28.2 µg/m³Ribeirão Preto, 6 October: 46.2 µg/m³Ribeirão Preto, 7 October: 52.3 µg/m³Ribeirão Preto, 8 October: 54.3 µg/m³, 3.8× its usual 14.4Ribeirão Preto, 9 October: 61.0 µg/m³, 4.3× its usual 14.1Ribeirão Preto, 10 October: 37.1 µg/m³, 2.7× its usual 13.8Ribeirão Preto, 11 October: 28.5 µg/m³, 2.1× its usual 13.3Ribeirão Preto, 12 October: 18.3 µg/m³Ribeirão Preto, 13 October: 16.4 µg/m³Ribeirão Preto, 14 October: 13.1 µg/m³São José do Rio Pre…São José do Rio Preto, 5 October: 21.4 µg/m³São José do Rio Preto, 6 October: 24.4 µg/m³São José do Rio Preto, 7 October: 35.3 µg/m³São José do Rio Preto, 8 October: 47.0 µg/m³, 2.9× its usual 16.2São José do Rio Preto, 9 October: 59.0 µg/m³, 3.6× its usual 16.2São José do Rio Preto, 10 October: 56.0 µg/m³, 3.6× its usual 15.6São José do Rio Preto, 11 October: 41.3 µg/m³, 2.7× its usual 15.2São José do Rio Preto, 12 October: 17.0 µg/m³São José do Rio Preto, 13 October: 16.7 µg/m³São José do Rio Preto, 14 October: no readingRio ClaroRio Claro, 5 October: 14.5 µg/m³Rio Claro, 6 October: 19.8 µg/m³Rio Claro, 7 October: 22.5 µg/m³Rio Claro, 8 October: 44.7 µg/m³, 2.7× its usual 16.3Rio Claro, 9 October: 39.3 µg/m³, 2.5× its usual 15.9Rio Claro, 10 October: 22.2 µg/m³Rio Claro, 11 October: 19.1 µg/m³Rio Claro, 12 October: 13.2 µg/m³Rio Claro, 13 October: 11.0 µg/m³Rio Claro, 14 October: 12.9 µg/m³Presidente PrudentePresidente Prudente, 5 October: 11.5 µg/m³Presidente Prudente, 6 October: 9.7 µg/m³Presidente Prudente, 7 October: 10.8 µg/m³Presidente Prudente, 8 October: 42.5 µg/m³, 4.1× its usual 10.3Presidente Prudente, 9 October: 42.4 µg/m³, 4.2× its usual 10.2Presidente Prudente, 10 October: 26.9 µg/m³, 2.6× its usual 10.3Presidente Prudente, 11 October: 25.4 µg/m³, 2.5× its usual 10.0Presidente Prudente, 12 October: 12.1 µg/m³Presidente Prudente, 13 October: 10.8 µg/m³Presidente Prudente, 14 October: 11.2 µg/m³LondrinaLondrina, 5 October: no readingLondrina, 6 October: no readingLondrina, 7 October: no readingLondrina, 8 October: 36.9 µg/m³, 4.0× its usual 9.3Londrina, 9 October: no readingLondrina, 10 October: no readingLondrina, 11 October: no readingLondrina, 12 October: no readingLondrina, 13 October: 9.4 µg/m³Londrina, 14 October: no readingMaringáMaringá, 5 October: no readingMaringá, 6 October: no readingMaringá, 7 October: 8.3 µg/m³Maringá, 8 October: 35.7 µg/m³, 3.7× its usual 9.7Maringá, 9 October: 28.5 µg/m³, 2.9× its usual 9.7Maringá, 10 October: 25.8 µg/m³, 2.7× its usual 9.7Maringá, 11 October: 19.6 µg/m³Maringá, 12 October: 7.6 µg/m³Maringá, 13 October: 8.0 µg/m³Maringá, 14 October: 8.3 µg/m³GuarapuavaGuarapuava, 5 October: no readingGuarapuava, 6 October: no readingGuarapuava, 7 October: 22.0 µg/m³Guarapuava, 8 October: 34.8 µg/m³, 3.1× its usual 11.2Guarapuava, 9 October: 24.7 µg/m³Guarapuava, 10 October: 18.1 µg/m³Guarapuava, 11 October: 13.5 µg/m³Guarapuava, 12 October: 8.3 µg/m³Guarapuava, 13 October: 10.1 µg/m³Guarapuava, 14 October: 11.3 µg/m³BauruBauru, 5 October: 11.6 µg/m³Bauru, 6 October: 11.7 µg/m³Bauru, 7 October: 13.9 µg/m³Bauru, 8 October: 29.8 µg/m³, 2.5× its usual 11.7Bauru, 9 October: 20.0 µg/m³Bauru, 10 October: 25.3 µg/m³, 2.2× its usual 11.7Bauru, 11 October: 25.4 µg/m³, 2.2× its usual 11.5Bauru, 12 October: 12.5 µg/m³Bauru, 13 October: 10.3 µg/m³Bauru, 14 October: 10.8 µg/m³LimeiraLimeira, 5 October: 12.0 µg/m³Limeira, 6 October: 14.5 µg/m³Limeira, 7 October: 19.2 µg/m³Limeira, 8 October: 29.0 µg/m³, 2.1× its usual 14.0Limeira, 9 October: 30.7 µg/m³, 2.2× its usual 13.9Limeira, 10 October: 22.0 µg/m³Limeira, 11 October: 19.9 µg/m³Limeira, 12 October: 10.4 µg/m³Limeira, 13 October: 9.8 µg/m³Limeira, 14 October: 9.9 µg/m³PaulíniaPaulínia, 5 October: 9.9 µg/m³Paulínia, 6 October: 14.6 µg/m³Paulínia, 7 October: 12.9 µg/m³Paulínia, 8 October: 27.5 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 13.5Paulínia, 9 October: 31.3 µg/m³, 2.3× its usual 13.6Paulínia, 10 October: 20.0 µg/m³Paulínia, 11 October: 16.5 µg/m³Paulínia, 12 October: 13.5 µg/m³Paulínia, 13 October: 9.2 µg/m³Paulínia, 14 October: 9.9 µg/m³PiracicabaPiracicaba, 5 October: 9.9 µg/m³Piracicaba, 6 October: 11.8 µg/m³Piracicaba, 7 October: 14.6 µg/m³Piracicaba, 8 October: 26.5 µg/m³, 2.1× its usual 12.5Piracicaba, 9 October: 21.7 µg/m³Piracicaba, 10 October: 17.8 µg/m³Piracicaba, 11 October: 18.3 µg/m³Piracicaba, 12 October: 12.0 µg/m³Piracicaba, 13 October: 8.3 µg/m³Piracicaba, 14 October: 9.6 µg/m³CampinasCampinas, 5 October: 9.1 µg/m³Campinas, 6 October: 12.0 µg/m³Campinas, 7 October: 12.4 µg/m³Campinas, 8 October: 25.1 µg/m³, 2.0× its usual 12.4Campinas, 9 October: 24.5 µg/m³Campinas, 10 October: 18.3 µg/m³Campinas, 11 October: 15.4 µg/m³Campinas, 12 October: 11.6 µg/m³Campinas, 13 October: 6.8 µg/m³Campinas, 14 October: 8.4 µg/m³Francisco BeltrãoFrancisco Beltrão, 5 October: no readingFrancisco Beltrão, 6 October: no readingFrancisco Beltrão, 7 October: 15.1 µg/m³Francisco Beltrão, 8 October: 22.2 µg/m³Francisco Beltrão, 9 October: 27.7 µg/m³, 3.2× its usual 8.7Francisco Beltrão, 10 October: 18.8 µg/m³Francisco Beltrão, 11 October: 23.4 µg/m³Francisco Beltrão, 12 October: no readingFrancisco Beltrão, 13 October: 10.8 µg/m³Francisco Beltrão, 14 October: no reading5 Oct67891011121314
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
Ribeirão PretoSão Paulo, Brazil4 61.09 October14.14.3×
Presidente PrudenteSão Paulo, Brazil4 42.58 October10.34.1×
LondrinaParaná, Brazil1 36.98 October9.34.0×
MaringáParaná, Brazil3 35.78 October9.73.7×
São José do Rio PretoSão Paulo, Brazil4 59.09 October16.23.6×
Francisco BeltrãoParaná, Brazil1 27.79 October8.73.2×
GuarapuavaParaná, Brazil1 34.88 October11.23.1×
Rio ClaroSão Paulo, Brazil2 44.78 October16.32.7×
BauruSão Paulo, Brazil3 29.88 October11.72.5×
PaulíniaSão Paulo, Brazil2 31.39 October13.62.3×
LimeiraSão Paulo, Brazil2 30.79 October13.92.2×
PiracicabaSão Paulo, Brazil1 26.58 October12.52.1×
CampinasSão Paulo, Brazil1 25.18 October12.42.0×

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 Brazil

Number 7 of 20 episodes in Brazil since our records began, by cities reached.

Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 20.

Use this page

SmogRank, São Paulo and Paraná, Brazil, October 2024: 13 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 8 to 11 October 2024, smogrank.com/episodes/2024-10-sao-paulo-and-parana-brazil (accessed 12 October 2026).

Download top 10 (PNG)

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. Fire detections from NASA FIRMS; smoke maps from NOAA HMS. Dust: contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information 2024. Neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use that may be made of the Copernicus information or data it contains.