Dhahran air quality map

Is there a lot of interesting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Dhahran?

There is a lot of high-quality information about air pollution on the air quality map for Dhahran and it is very easy to find from the main city page. Selecting the map icon at the top of the page will open up a new one which is dedicated to all aspects of air quality in the city and its environs.

When the map first opens, the viewer will see a solid block of colour which is representative of the current air quality. The colours used range from pale green to dark maroon where the darker colours indicate progressively worsening air quality. The same colours are used throughout the whole IQAir site.

There are also some coloured circles or discs to be seen which represent the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations operated by the city. They each display a number at their centre which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is calculated by taking measurements of up to six of the most commonly found air pollutants in the city air. These pollutants are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone. When the figure has been established it is used as a standard when making comparisons between the air quality in different areas across the globe. It has the full backing of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Briefly looking back to the main city page, it can be seen in the coloured banner across the top of it that the air quality in Dhahran was “Moderate” with a US AQI reading of 74. This is also reflected in the colour of the banner. The main pollutant was identified as being PM2.5 with a recorded level of 23 µg/m³ which is over four and a half times the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Immediately below the air pollution map for Dhahran can be seen the number of contributors there are that supply the data about air quality. There are currently two contributors who operate two stations and they are both individual people.

The next table of information lists the most polluted stations in descending order. Currently, the most polluted station is at Jebel Heights which shows its US AQI reading as 114 which is “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”.

The following table shows the popularity of each station by showing the number of loyal followers they each have. The station at Jolly Street is currently the most popular with 50 followers.

Is there any more information about air quality on the air pollution map for Dhahran?

There are a lot more interesting facts and figures about air quality on the air pollution map for Dhahran but in order to see all that is available, the page needs to be viewed in full-screen mode. This is easily done by selecting the icon at the top of the page which will resize the page to the maximum.

When viewed in this way, a set of four options will appear on the left-hand side of the screen. They can each be deactivated individually to see the effects they each have on the map.

The first option shows the locations of the ground-level air monitoring stations in the city which can all be explored further to find out specific information about that location. This can be very useful when travelling to other areas.

Option number two shows the position of any wildfires that might be burning out of control in the area. At the time of writing, there were no fires burning in the immediate vicinity. There was one to the north of the city near Umm as Sahik but it is quite a distance from the city. Option four shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and gives a good indication of where the smoke might blow.

Option three can change the entire background of the map to show the current state of the air. Currently, this is yellow which shows the area is experiencing “Moderate” air quality. Sometimes the map is not easy to understand when it consists of various shades of the same colour. When the colours become too distracting the option can be deactivated and the colours will change to a more subtle hue.

More interesting facts and figures can be found on the right-hand side of the page. These take the form of a table which shows the ranking of the top seven most polluted cities in the world. The rest of the participating cities can be seen when the full-ranking section is chosen and a dedicated page containing all the information will open.

Is the source of the polluted air shown on the air quality map for Dhahran?

The source of the polluted air is not shown directly on the air pollution map for Dhahran but it is known that particles enter the air through factories, cars and lorries, fires, agriculture and other industrial emissions and endanger people's health. In fact, particles smaller than 2.5 microns entering the lungs of Saudi residents increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, respiratory diseases and cancer.

Additionally, fine dust, smoke from the exhaust of diesel cars and the wear and tear of vehicle tyres and brakes, and gases and smoke from factories and power stations also play an important role in the creation of air pollution in Saudi Arabia.

What are the PM2.5 particles which are always mentioned on the air pollution map for Dhahran?

PM2.5 particles are small particles whose size is less than 2.5 micrometres or microns and are one of the main causes of air pollution. PM2.5 particles whose diameter is 2.5 microns or less (100 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair) can penetrate even the smallest air passages of the lungs and pass into the bloodstream via the alveoli.

These particulates generally result from activities in which fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal are burned, including automobile traffic, metal smelting and processing, power plants, and the like, as well as the burning of fields and forest fires.