Various meteorological conditions, especially the presence of a very low and strong temperature inversion and the absence of wind, caused a sharp increase of atmospheric pollutants during the festivities at the turn of the year 1992. Especially the concentrations of fine particles were extremely high. The monitoring network for fine particles was implemented during the years 1992 and 1993, therefore no reliable estimate was available of concentrations at the turn of other years under normal meteorological conditions. The meteorological conditions at the turn of the year 1993 were normal. Concentrations of fine particles (PM10) over the first hour of the new year were, averaged over urban monitoring sites, about 500 mug/m3. The concentrations of SO2, CO and NO were higher than expected. Measurements were available on the change of the concentrations within the first hour of 1994, concentrations were highest during the first half hour. The composition of the fine particles was in agreement with measurements of the previous year.