Real-Time Air Quality Map
See current air pollution levels anywhere on Earth — PM2.5, PM10, and overall AQI from thousands of monitoring stations, updated continuously.
Track Air Pollution Anywhere on Earth, Live
A real-time air quality map shows current pollution levels as measured right now, not a forecast from hours ago. Instead of guessing whether today’s haze is ordinary pollen or something worth masking up for, you can check the actual AQI reading for your city, or any city, in seconds.
How the Air Quality Map Works
This map pulls live station data from the World Air Quality Index Project, a global network of government and independent monitoring stations spanning more than 100 countries. Each numbered marker is a real station reporting its current AQI, color-coded from green (Good) through purple and dark red (Hazardous). The badge in the top-left corner shows a live numeric reading for whatever location the map is centered on, updating automatically as you pan, zoom, or search a new place.
Why Use a Live Air Quality Map
Wildfire Smoke
See exactly how far smoke has traveled and whether it has reached your area yet.
Outdoor Exercise
Check whether today is a good day for a run, or one to move your workout indoors.
Sensitive Groups
People with asthma, heart conditions, or respiratory issues can plan around unhealthy air days.
Travel Planning
Check air quality at your destination before you land, especially in cities prone to smog.
Parents and Kids
Decide whether outdoor recess or playtime should move inside on a given day.
Event Planning
Outdoor weddings, races, and festivals benefit from a same-day pollution check.
Air Quality Map vs. Rain, Wind, Lightning, and Temperature Maps
Air quality tells a different story than rain, wind, lightning, or temperature, but they are often connected. Wildfire smoke drifts on the same wind patterns you can track on our real-time wind map, rain can temporarily clear pollution from the air (visible on our real-time rain map), heat domes that spike our real-time temperature map often trap smog and smoke closer to the ground, and severe thunderstorms tracked on our real-time lightning map can temporarily clear the air behind them. A recent example: wildfire smoke pushed New York’s air quality to “very unhealthy” days before the 2026 World Cup final.
Understanding the AQI Scale
The Air Quality Index runs from 0 to 500+, split into six color-coded categories used by the US EPA and adopted worldwide:
0-50 · Good
Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
51-100 · Moderate
Acceptable, though unusually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
101-150 · Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Children, older adults, and people with respiratory or heart disease may experience effects.
151-200 · Unhealthy
Everyone may begin to experience health effects, with more serious effects for sensitive groups.
201-300 · Very Unhealthy
Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects. Avoid outdoor exertion.
301+ · Hazardous
Health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is likely to be affected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does the air quality map update?
Station data refreshes continuously from thousands of monitoring stations worldwide, typically every 10 to 60 minutes depending on the originating monitor.
Is this air quality map free to use?
Yes, the live air quality map is completely free and does not require an account or app download.
Does the map work outside the United States?
Yes, coverage spans more than 100 countries through the World Air Quality Index Project’s network of government and independent monitoring stations.
What’s the difference between AQI and PM2.5?
AQI is a standardized 0-500+ index used to communicate overall air quality risk. PM2.5, fine particulate matter, is one of several individual pollutants, alongside PM10, ozone, NO2, SO2, and CO, that feed into the AQI calculation. The map displays the composite AQI, which reflects whichever pollutant is currently worst at a given station.
Can I check air quality for my exact location?
Yes, tap “Use My Location” to center the map on you, or use the search box to jump to any city. The badge in the top-left updates with a live reading for whatever point the map is centered on.
In Conclusion
Air pollution is often invisible until it isn’t, and by the time smoke or smog is obvious in the sky, it has usually already been building for hours. A real-time air quality map turns scattered station readings into an immediate, visual answer to a simple question: is the air where you are, or where you’re headed, safe to breathe today?