SmogRank / Episodes / United States
Southern United States and Mexico, February 2026
For 2 days, from 19 to 20 February 2026, 13 cities in the United States and Mexico had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Laredo, Texas, United States: 48.3 µg/m³ on 20 February, about 5.7× its usual 8.5.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 13 in 2 countries
Days 2 19 to 20 February 2026
Worst day 19 February 10 cities counted
Furthest above usual 5.7× Laredo
Day by day
Play 19 February 10 cities at twice their usual or more
Austin Pflugerville Cedar Park Taylor Mission Bend Missouri City Houston Pasadena Ciudad Benito Juárez Ciudad General Escobedo La Porte Monterrey Parque Industrial Ciudad Mitras Galveston Baytown Santa Catarina García Saltillo Port Arthur Sulphur Ciudad Apodaca Cadereyta Jiménez Conroe Live Oak Mission San Antonio San Marcos College Station Edinburg Eagle Pass Corpus Christi Brownsville Laredo 16 Feb 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 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
Brownsville Brownsville, 16 February: 9.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Brownsville, 17 February: no reading Brownsville, 18 February: 29.8 µg/m³, 3.4× usual Brownsville, 19 February: 46.5 µg/m³, 5.3× usual Brownsville, 20 February: 28.4 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Brownsville, 21 February: 17.6 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Brownsville, 22 February: 7.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Brownsville, 23 February: 5.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Edinburg Edinburg, 16 February: 12.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Edinburg, 17 February: 6.7 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Edinburg, 18 February: 25.9 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Edinburg, 19 February: 43.9 µg/m³, 4.5× usual Edinburg, 20 February: 37.0 µg/m³, 3.8× usual Edinburg, 21 February: 17.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Edinburg, 22 February: no reading Edinburg, 23 February: no reading Laredo Laredo, 16 February: 7.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Laredo, 17 February: 9.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Laredo, 18 February: 13.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Laredo, 19 February: 47.7 µg/m³, 5.6× usual Laredo, 20 February: 48.3 µg/m³, 5.7× usual Laredo, 21 February: 17.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Laredo, 22 February: 4.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Laredo, 23 February: 6.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, 16 February: 6.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Corpus Christi, 17 February: 7.2 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Corpus Christi, 18 February: 22.1 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Corpus Christi, 19 February: 45.3 µg/m³, 5.3× usual Corpus Christi, 20 February: 30.6 µg/m³, 3.6× usual Corpus Christi, 21 February: 15.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Corpus Christi, 22 February: 4.8 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Corpus Christi, 23 February: 4.7 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Mission Mission, 16 February: 13.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Mission, 17 February: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Mission, 18 February: 24.4 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Mission, 19 February: 39.9 µg/m³, 3.8× usual Mission, 20 February: 36.7 µg/m³, 3.5× usual Mission, 21 February: 20.2 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Mission, 22 February: 6.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Mission, 23 February: 8.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual San Antonio San Antonio, 16 February: 7.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual San Antonio, 17 February: 6.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual San Antonio, 18 February: 12.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usual San Antonio, 19 February: 33.5 µg/m³, 3.9× usual San Antonio, 20 February: 27.0 µg/m³, 3.1× usual San Antonio, 21 February: 12.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual San Antonio, 22 February: 4.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual San Antonio, 23 February: 6.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Live Oak Live Oak, 16 February: 6.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Live Oak, 17 February: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Live Oak, 18 February: 12.3 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Live Oak, 19 February: 30.9 µg/m³, 3.7× usual Live Oak, 20 February: 24.0 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Live Oak, 21 February: 12.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Live Oak, 22 February: 4.0 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Live Oak, 23 February: 5.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual College Station College Station, 16 February: 4.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual College Station, 17 February: 5.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual College Station, 18 February: 7.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual College Station, 19 February: 29.3 µg/m³, 4.4× usual College Station, 20 February: 16.2 µg/m³, 2.4× usual College Station, 21 February: 10.4 µg/m³, 1.6× usual College Station, 22 February: 3.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual College Station, 23 February: 6.8 µg/m³, 1.0× usual San Marcos San Marcos, 16 February: 3.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual San Marcos, 17 February: 6.1 µg/m³, 0.9× usual San Marcos, 18 February: 7.9 µg/m³, 1.1× usual San Marcos, 19 February: 28.7 µg/m³, 4.2× usual San Marcos, 20 February: 18.1 µg/m³, 2.6× usual San Marcos, 21 February: 8.6 µg/m³, 1.2× usual San Marcos, 22 February: 3.7 µg/m³, 0.5× usual San Marcos, 23 February: 3.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Conroe Conroe, 16 February: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Conroe, 17 February: 7.7 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Conroe, 18 February: 8.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Conroe, 19 February: 25.3 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Conroe, 20 February: 29.8 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Conroe, 21 February: 20.1 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Conroe, 22 February: no reading Conroe, 23 February: no reading Cadereyta Jiménez Cadereyta Jiménez, 16 February: 19.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Cadereyta Jiménez, 17 February: 18.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Cadereyta Jiménez, 18 February: 18.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Cadereyta Jiménez, 19 February: 30.6 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Cadereyta Jiménez, 20 February: 46.5 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Cadereyta Jiménez, 21 February: 32.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Cadereyta Jiménez, 22 February: no reading Cadereyta Jiménez, 23 February: 8.7 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Ciudad Apodaca Ciudad Apodaca, 16 February: 11.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 17 February: 15.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 18 February: 14.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 19 February: 25.2 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 20 February: 41.4 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 21 February: 30.5 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 22 February: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Ciudad Apodaca, 23 February: 8.4 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Eagle Pass Eagle Pass, 16 February: 6.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Eagle Pass, 17 February: 8.7 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Eagle Pass, 18 February: 8.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Eagle Pass, 19 February: 17.9 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Eagle Pass, 20 February: 35.7 µg/m³, 5.0× usual Eagle Pass, 21 February: 12.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Eagle Pass, 22 February: 4.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Eagle Pass, 23 February: 4.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual 16 Feb 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 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
Laredo Texas, United States 2 20 February 8.5 5.7× Brownsville Texas, United States 2 19 February 8.7 5.3× Corpus Christi Texas, United States 2 19 February 8.6 5.3× Eagle Pass Texas, United States 1 20 February 7.1 5.0× Edinburg Texas, United States 2 19 February 9.8 4.5× College Station Texas, United States 1 19 February 6.7 4.4× San Marcos Texas, United States 1 19 February 6.9 4.2× San Antonio Texas, United States 2 19 February 8.7 3.9× Mission Texas, United States 2 19 February 10.6 3.8× Live Oak Texas, United States 1 19 February 8.4 3.7× Conroe Texas, United States 2 20 February 9.5 3.1× Cadereyta Jiménez Nuevo León, Mexico 1 20 February 18.0 2.6× Ciudad Apodaca Nuevo León, Mexico 1 20 February 18.8 2.2×
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 the United States and Mexico
Number 59 of 106 episodes in the United States and Mexico since our records began, by cities reached.
North-eastern United States and Canada, June and July 2023 279 North-eastern United States and Canada, July 2026 264 North-eastern United States and Canada, May and June 2023 260 North-eastern United States and Canada, July and August 2025 241 North-eastern United States and Canada, July 2023 241 North-eastern United States and Canada, June 2025 196 North-eastern United States and Canada, June 2023 161 North-eastern United States and Canada, July 2025 119 North-western United States and Canada, August 2023 110 North-eastern United States, June 2025 104 North-western United States and Canada, August 2026 99 North-eastern United States and Canada, February 2026 96 Southern United States and Mexico, February 2026 13 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 106 .
Use this page SmogRank, Southern United States and Mexico, February 2026: 13 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 19 to 20 February 2026, smogrank.com/episodes/2026-02-southern-united-states-and-mexico (accessed 2 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.
