Alert Continues: Air Quality So Bad, Some Michigan Cities Off The Scale
UPDATED 7/18: The National Weather Service has extended the Air Quality Alert through Sunday, July 19th, with more smoke expected in Michigan later this week.
Living in Michigan for most of my life, I've never seen anything quite like the thick wildfire smoke and dangerous air quality we're experiencing because of the Canadian wildfires. While the smoke is affecting the entire state, some areas are seeing conditions that are significantly worse than others.
Wildfire Smoke Continues to Choke Michiganders
We were stunned by how bad the smoke was last week, and it will continue on Sunday. Now, forecasters say another round of wildfire smoke could return this coming week as well. With that warning in mind, will last week's horrable record-breaking air quality readings repeat themselves?
Detroit Had The Worst Air Quality In The World
At one point Friday morning, Detroit had the worst air quality in the world, according to live air quality monitoring data. Then Chicago and The Motor City went back and forth for the terrible top spot on that list. Then the smoke moved across the U.S. to other cities, including New York and Washington D.C.
⚠ ALERT: An Air Quality Alert for Michigan remains in effect. (Currently through Sunday, July 19, 2026).
We had some of the worst Air Quality Index readings across the state on Friday, with alerts expected to end Friday night. But then on Saturday, the alert was pushed from noon to 12:30 P.M. Then suddenly, another day was added, extending the Air Quality Alert through today.
READ MORE: Wildfire Ash Could Trigger Thunderstorms
There were some heavy, even severe thunderstorms in a few areas across Mid-Michigan on Saturday. But it wasn't the line of severe weather that forecasters had predicted. Hit and miss showers and thunderstorms did pop up today, but not the wall of atmospheric turbulence that was supposed to clear the air. So the alert goes on.
Several Michigan Cities Have Air Quality Readings Above the EPA Scale
Across Michigan, Air Quality Index (AQI) readings currently range from "Unhealthy" to "Hazardous." The EPA's Air Quality Index normally runs from 0 to 500, but several Michigan locations have actually exceeded that scale according to weather.com. I was shocked to see Eastwood reach an AQI of 557, while St. Joseph climbed to an astonishing 578.
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) Guide
| AQI | Category | Health Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 0–50 | Good | Air quality poses little or no health risk. |
| 51–100 | Moderate | Acceptable for most people. Sensitive individuals may notice minor effects. |
| 101–150 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Children, seniors, and people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor activity. |
| 151–200 | Unhealthy | Everyone may begin experiencing health effects. |
| 201–300 | Very Unhealthy | Health alert. Everyone faces an increased risk of health effects. |
| 301–500 | Hazardous | Emergency conditions. Everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor exposure. |
Air Quality Can Change Dramatically Within Just a Few Miles
One of the most surprising things I found while researching this story is how dramatically air quality can change over just a few miles. Near Detroit's Canfield Street, the AQI reached 468, while Warren Avenue measured 473. Yet just a short drive away, another monitor showed 312—still classified as Very Unhealthy, but dramatically lower.
We did some digging, and at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 17, these were some of the AQI readings from around Michigan. As expected, Northern Michigan generally had lower readings as the thickest smoke continued pushing farther south.
You can check your city's current air quality here.
Michigan Air Quality Index Readings By City
Gallery Credit: Canva
Michigan's 12 Oldest Established Cities
Gallery Credit: Canva