Key facts
- The South Coast air basin has experienced 39 days of ozone levels exceeding federal standards this year.
- This is the smoggiest first five months on record for the region in the past decade.
The Los Angeles region has begun the year with the smoggiest first five months in the last decade. Preliminary state air quality data indicates that the South Coast air basin, which encompasses Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, has recorded 39 days where the concentration of lung-irritating ozone surpassed the federal standard. This marks a significant increase in air pollution for the area.