US Forest Service Air Quality Images

Real Time Images

The Real Time Images section features live images and current air quality conditions from Forest Service monitoring locations throughout the United States. Digital images from Web-based cameras are updated every 15 to 60 minutes. Near real-time air quality data and meteorological data are also provided to distinguish natural from human-made causes of poor visibility and to provide current air pollution levels to the public.

Images will appear black during the nighttime hours. If the image is missing, please be patient and try again later. Real-time images are archived every 24 hours. To view archived 9 AM, 12 PM or 3 PM images, use the navigation bar above to access the drop-down Image Library or Library Search menus.

Site Descriptions

Boundary Waters, MN

The Boundary Waters real-time digital camera system was installed in December 2005. Supporters include the US Forest Service in cooperation with the Central States Air Resource Agencies (CenSARA). The monitoring site is located on the Superior National Forest, approximately 3 kilometers East of Triangle Lake, as well as views to the Northwest. An ozone monitor, aerosol sampler and associated meteorological equipment are also located at the site.

Dolly Sods, WV

The Dolly Sods Web camera system was installed in the Bearden Knob air quality monitoring compound in November 2003. The camera views the Canaan Valley and Mt. Port Crayon, 21 kilometers to the South. An aerosol sampler, ozone monitor and associated meteorological equipment are also located at the site.

Mount Hood, OR

The Mount Hood digital camera system was installed at the Timberline Ski Area in November 2000. Web-based real-time monitoring began in 2003. The camera views Mt. Jefferson, ~70 kilometers to the South. No air quality data are currently associated with these images. Meteorological data are obtained from the Timberline Base meteorology station.

Mount Washington, NH

The Mount Washington camera system was installed in July 2000, by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) Regional Planning Organization. Images are primarily posted on NESCAUM’s CAMNET Web site: http://www.hazecam.net/mtwash.html

The camera is located in Conway, New Hampshire and views Mount Washington ~35 kilometers to the Northwest. This view also encompasses portions of the Great Gulf and Presidential Range-Dry River Wildernesses. An ozone monitor and particulate sampler are located at the site; however, associated climate data are collected from a meteorological station located east of the camera site in Center Conway.

Shamrock, CO

The Shamrock NO_x and ozone air quality monitoring station was installed east of Bayfield, Colorado in February 2004. The station monitors air quality conditions for the Weminuche Wilderness and Four-Corners Region.

Monitoring instrumentation at the site includes an NO_x analyzer (Nitric Oxide–NO, Nitrogen Dioxide–NO₂, Oxides of Nitrogen- NO_x), Ozone (O₃) analyzer, and wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and precipitation (meteorological) sensors. Hourly data are collected, summarized, and posted daily in the Real-Time Images section of this Web site. A digital camera system was installed southwest of the monitoring station in November 2005; images were collected until July 2009. Images of this camera view to the Southwest were archived and posted to the Image Library database.