On Wednesday, many residents of Chicago were alarmed by their weather apps indicating dangerously high air quality levels, reportedly the worst in the country. Both Apple's and Google's air quality indices showed alarming numbers in the 400s, signaling hazardous conditions. Concerned citizens, like 24-year-old Madeline Blair, stayed indoors to avoid exposure, recalling smoke levels reminiscent of previous wildfire events. Ultimately, the hazardous readings were attributed to a technical glitch rather than actual conditions, highlighting the reliance on technology for public health information and the potential consequences of misinformation.
Early in the morning, Google's air quality map showed that Chicago had the worst air in the country. Apple's weather app, too, showed that the Air Quality Index had climbed into the 400s, a reading so hazardous that people are encouraged to stay indoors.
To put that in perspective, that's as high as the levels reached in 2023 when smoke from wildfires in Canada blanketed much of the East Coast and turned the sky in New York City orange.
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