Winthrop reached the "Unhealthy" status and is 100 AQI points behind Paradise, California. Author: Kelley Collins Updated: 2:58 PM PDT July 22, 2021 WINTHROP, Wash. — "We're number two! We're number two!," the National Weather Service tweeted regarding the air quality in Winthrop, Washington. Nationally, Winthrop has reached "unhealthy" air quality on Thursday. This placed Winthrop with the second worse air quality in the country and nearly 100 AQI points behind Paradise, California. As of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, the AQI had reached 177 in Winthrop, according to AirNow. "Unhealthy" air quality means everyone may begin to experience health effects. However, members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects, according to Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency.