Ambient (outdoor) air pollution is a global public health crisis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide are attributed to exposure to outdoor air pollutants annually, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) [1].
Unfortunately, public access to transparent, comprehensible, and real-time data on these hazardous indicators is often limited. Public information systems may not always provide clear or timely warnings to citizens, hindering their ability to take protective measures.
Climatic was developed as an independent, free, and open-source public health tool. Its primary goal is to empower citizens by translating complex meteorological and air pollution data into actionable, easy-to-understand information, enabling them to make informed decisions to protect their health and well-being.
The dashboard is organized into four primary analytical tabs:
This section provides a macro-level overview of upcoming weather trends.
- Charts: Minimum & Maximum Temperature, Max Wind Gust, Total Precipitation, and Max UV Index.
- Filters & Features:
- Time Range: Selectable view for Monthly (default) or Yearly data.
- Historical Comparison: A key feature for climate analysis, allowing users to overlay the previous year's temperature data against the current year's forecast.
These tabs provide granular, 24-hour details for short-term planning.
- Charts: Apparent ("Feels Like") Temperature, Precipitation Probability, Wind Speed, Cumulative Precipitation, and hourly UV Index.
- Filters & Features:
- Hourly Comparison: Compare today's apparent temperature with yesterday's (on the Today tab) or tomorrow's with today's (on the Tomorrow tab).
- Data Toggles: Users can toggle the visibility of individual chart series (e.g., Wind, Precipitation).
This is the project's most critical public health component.
- Charts: Real-time concentration tracking for key pollutants:
- PM2.5 (Fine, hazardous particles)
- PM10 (Coarse particles)
- O₃ (Ground-level Ozone)
- NO₂ (Nitrogen Dioxide)
- SO₂ (Sulphur Dioxide)
- CO (Carbon Monoxide)
- Indices: Calculates and displays both the European AQI and the US AQI.
- Visualization: Utilizes custom-built gauge charts to visualize the status of each pollutant against "Good," "Poor," and "Hazardous" thresholds.
For users without the technical expertise to interpret complex graphs, an AI assistant analyzes the data from all tabs and provides an operational summary in plain language.
- Example: "Outdoor running is not advised today due to high PM2.5 and UV levels. Sensitive individuals should remain indoors."
- Multilingual: This analysis is available in four languages: English, German, Farsi, and Arabic.
This project is not just a data visualization; each metric is directly linked to human health outcomes:
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Air Pollution (PM2.5 & O₃): Globally, 99% of the world's population breathes air that exceeds WHO guideline limits [1]. PM2.5 particles are small enough to enter the bloodstream, making them a primary cause of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and lung cancer. The burden is especially heavy in developing nations; for instance, air pollution is estimated to cause over 1.6 million deaths in India and 1.2 million deaths in China annually [2].
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UV Index: Chronic exposure to UV radiation is the leading cause of skin damage, premature aging, and the vast majority of skin cancers. It can also cause severe eye damage, including cataracts [3]. By providing an hourly UV forecast, this dashboard helps users take precautions (like using sunscreen and eye protection) during peak hours (typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
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Temperature (Heat & Cold Stress): Extreme temperatures place severe stress on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. A landmark 2021 study in The Lancet estimated that over 5 million premature deaths globally per year are associated with non-optimal ambient temperatures (both cold and heat) [4]. These risks are particularly acute for the elderly, children, and individuals with chronic illnesses.
- Frontend: JavaScript (ES6+), ApexCharts.js (for interactive charts), Bootstrap 5
- Backend: PHP 7.4, MySQL (for user management, settings persistence)
- APIs:
- Open-Meteo: (Primary source for all weather and air quality data)
- OpenAI API (gpt-4o): (Powers the AI-driven summary feature)
| Air Quality Tab (AQI) | Hourly Forecast (Tomorrow) | Sidebar (Widget) |
|---|---|---|
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I am Hossein Zamaninasab, an M.Sc. Biology student at the University of Oldenburg, Germany, and an Environmental Health Data Researcher.
This project sits at the intersection of my passions for programming (PHP/JS), data analysis, and spatial epidemiology. It is an attempt to leverage technology to promote public health awareness.
- ResearchGate: researchgate.net/profile/Hossein-Zamaninasab
- Google Scholar: scholar.google.com/citations?user=hvk4hwgAAAAJ
- GitHub: github.com/Hossein-Zamaninasab
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hossein-zamaninasab-39773a2a3
[1] World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). "Ambient (outdoor) air pollution". WHO Fact Sheet [2] State of Global Air. (2020). "Report 2020: A Special Report on Global Exposure to Air Pollution and its Health Impacts". Health Effects Institute. Link [3] World Health Organization (WHO). (2017). "Radiation: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation". WHO Fact Sheet [4] Zhao, Q., et al. (2021). "Global, regional, and national burden of mortality associated with non-optimal ambient temperatures from 2000 to 2019: a three-stage modelling study". The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(7), e415-e425. DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00081-4