December Air Quality Spike Highlights Need for Local Monitoring

A late-December snapshot of Allendale's air quality showed fluctuating fine-particle pollution that put portions of the community at elevated health risk. IQAir’s Allendale, SC air-quality page displayed local timestamps and hourly PM2.5-based US AQI values recorded on Dec. 28–29, 2025, with reported readings ranging from the Moderate category to Unhealthy for sensitive groups depending on the hour and which sensor data were used.

The IQAir page is updated continuously and provides an hourly forecast, a pollutant breakdown focused on PM2.5, and short-term health guidance linked to AQI categories. That combination of live readings and near-term projections makes the page a practical tool for residents who need to track short-term air-pollution events, particularly when conditions change over hours rather than days.

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is the pollutant driving the AQI values shown in the snapshot. PM2.5 can originate from wildfire smoke drifting into the region, local agricultural or residential burning, and weather-driven stagnation that traps pollution near the ground. Those factors can cause sharp day-to-day and even hour-to-hour swings in air quality, which is why a continuously refreshed display of local readings is useful.

The community impact is greatest for people with asthma, chronic lung disease, heart conditions, older adults, children, and pregnant people. When AQI values move into the Unhealthy for sensitive groups range, the page’s short-term guidance advises increased caution for those populations. Because readings in the Dec. 28–29 snapshot varied by hour and sensor, residents who are particularly vulnerable may wish to check current values and hourly forecasts before planning outdoor activities.

Local officials and health providers can use this type of near-real-time information to time advisories and target outreach. For everyday residents, the practical takeaway is to monitor the IQAir Allendale page during visible smoke, smell of burning, or weather that limits air movement, and to follow the page’s health guidance when PM2.5-driven AQI levels rise.

The data referenced here were visible on the IQAir Allendale page as updated and viewed on Dec. 28–29, 2025. Because air quality can change rapidly, continued attention to hourly readings and forecasts will remain important for protecting public health in Allendale County.