Atlanta Air quality today

What is ozone, and why does Atlanta get it?

Ground-level ozone is a gas that can harm health ^[7]. It is not released straight into the air ^[3]. It forms when two kinds of pollution, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, react in sunlight ^[3]. Georgia EPD, the state environment agency, says ozone in Georgia forms mainly on hot summer days ^[3].

Industry, power plants and vehicle exhaust are major sources of nitrogen oxides ^[3]. Volatile organic compounds come from gasoline vapors, chemical solvents, and natural sources such as trees ^[3]. A 2016 Georgia Tech study notes that the Southeast, with its large forests, is more affected by these natural compounds than other parts of the country ^[6].

How much does traffic matter?

Vehicle traffic helps form ozone, though ozone does not come straight from tailpipes ^[4]. When the pandemic emptied roads in car-centric cities like Atlanta, ozone fell ^[4]. State data showed ozone levels rose again as people went back to old routines ^[4].

The 1996 Summer Olympic Games gave researchers a natural test ^[5]. During the Games, Atlanta changed how people traveled to cut downtown traffic ^[5]. A study published in 2001 found peak weekday morning traffic fell 22.5 percent during the Games ^[5]. Peak daily ozone fell 27.9 percent, from 81.3 to 58.6 parts per billion ^[5].

The same study found fewer asthma emergencies in children during the Games, by 11 to 44 percent depending on the data source ^[5]. Only the drop in Medicaid records held up in the full statistical analysis ^[5]. The weather was not very different from the weeks before and after ^[5]. The authors said the results support cutting traffic to reduce air pollution and improve health ^[5].

When is ozone worst in Atlanta?

A Georgia EPD fact sheet says Georgia's ozone season runs from April through September, because hot, sunny days speed up ozone formation ^[3]. During these months, a team makes a daily ozone forecast for metro Atlanta and shares it in a daily smog alert ^[3].

Ozone is usually worse in the afternoon and early evening, according to the EPA's AirNow guide ^[7]. Fall can bring high ozone too ^[6]. In October 2010, a worsening drought made stressed trees give off more of one natural compound, isoprene ^[6]. That year, ozone across the region peaked in October, higher than in July ^[6].

How does Atlanta compare with other US cities?

In the American Lung Association's 2026 State of the Air report, based on 2022 to 2024 data, metro Atlanta ranked 43rd most polluted of 226 areas for ozone ^[1]. It got an F grade, with Fulton County the worst county ^[1]. The area averaged 6.2 unhealthy ozone days a year, up from 5.5 in the 2025 report ^[1].

The area also has a problem with particle pollution, or soot ^[1]. In the 2026 report it ranked 38th worst in the US for year-round particle levels and got a failing grade ^[1]. For short spikes in particles, it ranked 122nd worst of 224 ^[1].

What has been done about Atlanta's ozone?

In October 2015, the EPA lowered the ozone standard from 0.075 to 0.070 parts per million, or 70 parts per billion ^{[2] [3]}. In August 2018, seven counties around Atlanta were rated as not meeting it ^[2]. They were Bartow, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry ^[2]. In 2022, based on data from 2018 to 2020, the EPA found the area had met the standard ^[2]. In October 2022, it officially rated the area as meeting the standard and approved the state's plan to keep meeting the standard ^[2].

Georgia EPD credits cleaner passenger vehicles, buses and locomotives, electric ground equipment at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, and cleaner fuel-burning sources at industry ^[2]. In its 2022 statement, it said Georgia's nitrogen oxide emissions fell 68 percent over the previous 30 years, and volatile organic compounds fell 57 percent ^[2].

Gains may not last. In 2024, two of metro Atlanta's eight ozone monitors were above the federal standard ^[4]. The head of EPD's air branch called this a concern in 2025 ^[4].

How to protect yourself in Atlanta

Check the Air Quality Index, or AQI, before planning time outside, and watch for Ozone Action Days ^[7]. When the AQI is unhealthy, choose a less intense activity, take more breaks, or move your activity indoors, where ozone levels are usually lower ^[7]. Because ozone is usually worse in the afternoon and early evening, plan outdoor activities for the morning ^[7].

People most at risk from ozone include people with lung disease such as asthma, children and teenagers, older adults, and people who are active outdoors, including outdoor workers ^[7]. People with asthma should follow their asthma action plan ^[7]. In extreme heat, staying inside with the windows closed and no air conditioning may be dangerous; go somewhere with air conditioning or find a local cooling center ^[7].

You can also help cut ozone by driving less, carpooling or using public transportation, not letting your engine idle, and using low-VOC paints and cleaning products ^[7].