SmogRank / Episodes / United States

Pennsylvania and New Jersey, United States, November 2025

For 1 day, on 21 November 2025, 14 cities in the United States had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was York, Pennsylvania, United States: 41.7 µg/m³ on 21 November, about 5.3× its usual 7.8. Ended 21 November.

No cause namedWe have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached14in 1 country
Days121 November 2025
Worst day21 November14 cities counted
Furthest above usual5.3×York

Day by day

21 November 14 cities at twice their usual or more
New HollandNewarkElktonGlasgowWilmingtonBearNorristownClaymontEdgewoodChesterHunt ValleyPaulsboroPhiladelphiaEssexCamdenBaltimoreSewellPennsaukenBensalemDoverScrantonEwingSouth VinelandScaggsvilleTrentonSouth LaurelRockvilleMendhamWashingtonRandolphSeafordCambridgeNew BrunswickOxon Hill-GlassmanorHagerstownHalfwayRose HillPleasantvilleSpringfieldSmithvilleAshburnState CollegeAtlantic CityLindenToms RiverElizabethPatersonJersey CityFort LeeAltoonaJohnstownFrostburgDanburyBridgeportCharlottesvilleHarrisonburgWaterburyNew HavenGreensburgPittsfieldUniontownNatrona HeightsHartfordMcKeesportWest MifflinWilkinsburgMonessenJefferson HillsPittsburghUpper Saint ClairSpringfieldKennedy TownshipNorth ChicopeeNew LondonGreenfieldNew BrightonBeaver FallsWareErieWeirton HeightsHermitageWeirtonSteubenvilleYoungstownMoundsvilleCoventryWest GreenwichWorcesterWarrenUxbridgeProvidenceMilfordPawtucketFraminghamFall RiverNewtonLowellLexingtonBostonAbingtonPalmyraLebanonKennett SquareLancasterSchlusserCarlisleAllentownWyomissingReadingHersheyHarrisburgBethlehemYork
18 Nov192021222324
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

YorkYork, 18 November: 9.6 µg/m³York, 19 November: 17.1 µg/m³York, 20 November: 30.1 µg/m³York, 21 November: 41.7 µg/m³, 5.3× its usual 7.8York, 22 November: 22.9 µg/m³York, 23 November: 18.7 µg/m³York, 24 November: 10.3 µg/m³HarrisburgHarrisburg, 18 November: 5.5 µg/m³Harrisburg, 19 November: 13.5 µg/m³Harrisburg, 20 November: 18.9 µg/m³Harrisburg, 21 November: 33.6 µg/m³, 4.6× its usual 7.3Harrisburg, 22 November: 16.5 µg/m³Harrisburg, 23 November: 12.8 µg/m³Harrisburg, 24 November: 4.6 µg/m³LancasterLancaster, 18 November: 5.8 µg/m³Lancaster, 19 November: 12.8 µg/m³Lancaster, 20 November: 22.5 µg/m³Lancaster, 21 November: 32.5 µg/m³, 4.2× its usual 7.8Lancaster, 22 November: 18.0 µg/m³Lancaster, 23 November: 16.4 µg/m³Lancaster, 24 November: 9.5 µg/m³HersheyHershey, 18 November: 4.8 µg/m³Hershey, 19 November: 13.5 µg/m³Hershey, 20 November: 18.7 µg/m³Hershey, 21 November: 31.1 µg/m³, 4.6× its usual 6.8Hershey, 22 November: 15.6 µg/m³Hershey, 23 November: 12.7 µg/m³Hershey, 24 November: 5.3 µg/m³ReadingReading, 18 November: 4.2 µg/m³Reading, 19 November: 12.8 µg/m³Reading, 20 November: 17.5 µg/m³Reading, 21 November: 30.7 µg/m³, 4.5× its usual 6.8Reading, 22 November: 16.7 µg/m³Reading, 23 November: 10.6 µg/m³Reading, 24 November: 6.3 µg/m³WyomissingWyomissing, 18 November: 4.2 µg/m³Wyomissing, 19 November: 12.8 µg/m³Wyomissing, 20 November: 17.5 µg/m³Wyomissing, 21 November: 30.7 µg/m³, 4.5× its usual 6.8Wyomissing, 22 November: 16.7 µg/m³Wyomissing, 23 November: 10.6 µg/m³Wyomissing, 24 November: 6.3 µg/m³CarlisleCarlisle, 18 November: 6.1 µg/m³Carlisle, 19 November: 10.9 µg/m³Carlisle, 20 November: 19.2 µg/m³Carlisle, 21 November: 29.8 µg/m³, 4.4× its usual 6.8Carlisle, 22 November: 13.1 µg/m³Carlisle, 23 November: 14.3 µg/m³Carlisle, 24 November: 4.4 µg/m³SchlusserSchlusser, 18 November: 6.1 µg/m³Schlusser, 19 November: 10.9 µg/m³Schlusser, 20 November: 19.2 µg/m³Schlusser, 21 November: 29.8 µg/m³, 4.4× its usual 6.8Schlusser, 22 November: 13.1 µg/m³Schlusser, 23 November: 14.3 µg/m³Schlusser, 24 November: 4.4 µg/m³BethlehemBethlehem, 18 November: 3.4 µg/m³Bethlehem, 19 November: 10.4 µg/m³Bethlehem, 20 November: 11.6 µg/m³Bethlehem, 21 November: 29.4 µg/m³, 4.7× its usual 6.3Bethlehem, 22 November: 16.5 µg/m³Bethlehem, 23 November: 10.0 µg/m³Bethlehem, 24 November: 5.5 µg/m³LebanonLebanon, 18 November: 5.7 µg/m³Lebanon, 19 November: 14.5 µg/m³Lebanon, 20 November: 18.1 µg/m³Lebanon, 21 November: 29.0 µg/m³, 3.9× its usual 7.4Lebanon, 22 November: 16.0 µg/m³Lebanon, 23 November: 12.5 µg/m³Lebanon, 24 November: 6.0 µg/m³AllentownAllentown, 18 November: 3.1 µg/m³Allentown, 19 November: 9.8 µg/m³Allentown, 20 November: 11.0 µg/m³Allentown, 21 November: 27.6 µg/m³, 4.5× its usual 6.1Allentown, 22 November: 14.5 µg/m³Allentown, 23 November: 9.0 µg/m³Allentown, 24 November: 5.3 µg/m³PalmyraPalmyra, 18 November: no readingPalmyra, 19 November: no readingPalmyra, 20 November: no readingPalmyra, 21 November: 26.8 µg/m³, 3.6× its usual 7.5Palmyra, 22 November: 18.4 µg/m³Palmyra, 23 November: 12.8 µg/m³Palmyra, 24 November: 10.3 µg/m³AbingtonAbington, 18 November: 6.4 µg/m³Abington, 19 November: 15.9 µg/m³Abington, 20 November: 17.2 µg/m³Abington, 21 November: 25.6 µg/m³, 3.4× its usual 7.5Abington, 22 November: no readingAbington, 23 November: no readingAbington, 24 November: 9.3 µg/m³Kennett SquareKennett Square, 18 November: 5.2 µg/m³Kennett Square, 19 November: 11.1 µg/m³Kennett Square, 20 November: 15.9 µg/m³Kennett Square, 21 November: 25.4 µg/m³, 4.0× its usual 6.3Kennett Square, 22 November: 13.4 µg/m³Kennett Square, 23 November: 10.4 µg/m³Kennett Square, 24 November: 8.3 µg/m³18 Nov192021222324
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
YorkPennsylvania, United States1 41.721 November7.85.3×
BethlehemPennsylvania, United States1 29.421 November6.34.7×
HarrisburgPennsylvania, United States1 33.621 November7.34.6×
HersheyPennsylvania, United States1 31.121 November6.84.6×
ReadingPennsylvania, United States1 30.721 November6.84.5×
WyomissingPennsylvania, United States1 30.721 November6.84.5×
AllentownPennsylvania, United States1 27.621 November6.14.5×
CarlislePennsylvania, United States1 29.821 November6.84.4×
SchlusserPennsylvania, United States1 29.821 November6.84.4×
LancasterPennsylvania, United States1 32.521 November7.84.2×
Kennett SquarePennsylvania, United States1 25.421 November6.34.0×
LebanonPennsylvania, United States1 29.021 November7.43.9×
PalmyraNew Jersey, United States1 26.821 November7.53.6×
AbingtonPennsylvania, United States1 25.621 November7.53.4×

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 85 of 151 episodes in the United States since our records began, by cities reached.

Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 151.

Use this page

SmogRank, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, United States, November 2025: 14 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 21 November 2025, smogrank.com/episodes/2025-11-pennsylvania-and-new-jersey-united-states (accessed 5 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.