Stagnant air, smoke from fireworks brings July 4 Air Quality advisories for parts of Michigan

Smoke from fireworks displays has been trapped in Michigan’s stagnant air flow, and conditions are ripe for ozone creation in other areas. Both these circumstances have sparked some Air Quality alerts and advisories for July 4.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has issued the following advisories. You can find more details on its website here.

Air Quality Advisory for Ozone on July 4 and July 5, 2025, for the following counties: Allegan, Berrien, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, Van Buren

Air Quality Advisory for (particulate matter) PM-2.5 on July 4 and July 5, 2025, for the following counties: Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, Wayne

Air Quality Advisory for Ozone on July 5, 2025, for the following counties: Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, Wayne

“Two Air Quality Advisories are in place today, July 4th, one in West Michigan along the Lake Michigan shoreline for Ozone, and the other is in metro Detroit for (particulate matter) PM-2.5.

“The environment over Lake Michigan and along the Lake Michigan shoreline is primed for Ozone development. These conditions will persist tomorrow, Saturday, so the current Air Quality Advisory for Ozone will be extended through Saturday, July 5th.

“Surface temperatures will increase into the low-to-mid 90s with winds shifting to southwesterly, both near the surface and in the upper-levels. Additionally, upper-level temperatures will be near twenty degrees Celsius, which is ideal for the Ozone photochemical reaction to occur.

“These conditions will be present over southeast Michigan as well, mixing with a potentially dirty atmosphere, so an Air Quality Advisory for Ozone will be issued for the metro Detroit area tomorrow, Saturday.”