Colorado Springs Smog

It's not just Denver with unhealthy smog lately, monitors in the Colorado Springs area have also been registering unhealthy levels. In fact, recent smog readings show that Colorado Springs has had some of the worst smog pollution so far this year in Colorado.

Whenever smog, also known as ozone, reaches 60 parts per billion or more over an 8-hour period, human health is at risk. So far this year, 8-hour smog readings have exceeded 60 parts per billion 5 days in the Colorado Springs area.

The monitor in Manitou Springs has exceeded 60 parts per billion for the last three days and last Thursday, smog levels reached 79 parts per billion, the highest reading in Colorado so far in 2007.

Last year, smog levels peaked at 79 parts per billion in Manitou Springs, and that was in July, typically the smoggiest month in Colorado. In 2004, smog peaked at 66 part per billion and in 2005 reached 75 parts per billion. In other words, smog levels are steadily climbing in Manitou Springs.

With 8-hour smog levels in Colorado Springs already reaching 79 parts per billion, the outlook for the summer doesn't seem too healthy. With smog climbing in the Colorado Springs area, it may be worthwhile to expand Denver smog reduction efforts southward.