Air quality index for Beijing, as of (Asia/Shanghai). Values update hourly — see this page for the current reading and hourly forecast. Today's peak: AQI 161 at 00:00 local time.

airindex·today

Air Quality in Beijing

Air quality in Beijing is AQI 153 (unhealthy) right now, down from today's high of AQI 161 in the same band around 00:00. Today's main contributor is fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), at 18 µg/m³. The WHO 24-hour guideline is 15 µg/m³, so today's level runs at about 1.2× that value. The index does not drop below 100 at any point today.

Now, Oct 17at 20:00
153Unhealthy
Good0–50
Moderate51–100
Sensitive groups101–150
Unhealthy151–200
Very unhealthy201–300
Hazardous301+

By pollutant

  • PM₂.₅ fine particles · sets the index nowAQI 153
  • PM₁₀ coarse particlesAQI 55
  • NO₂ nitrogen dioxideAQI 25
  • CO carbon monoxideAQI 9
  • SO₂ sulfur dioxideAQI 2
  • O₃ ozoneAQI 1
Everyone should reduce prolonged or intense outdoor activity
Sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion
Consider moving activities indoors

Modeled forecast data. AQI values come from atmospheric models (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not local monitoring stations. Readings can differ from ground-level conditions — for exact street-level values, consult an official air quality station near you. The forecast is calculated for a grid square, roughly 11 km across Europe and 45 km elsewhere, and air quality can vary within one square.

The next 48 hours

Hourly air quality index for Beijing · Local time (GMT+8)

Today, Oct 17
Tomorrow, Oct 18
50
100
150
Peak 161 · 00:00
Peak 131 · 00:00
0:00
6:00
12:00
18:00
0:00
6:00
12:00
18:00

Good ≤ 50 · Moderate ≤ 100 · Sensitive groups ≤ 150

Now
Show hourly data table
TimeAQIPM₂.₅µg/m³PM₁₀µg/m³O₃µg/m³NO₂µg/m³SO₂µg/m³COmg/m³°C
Today
00:0016157620.057110.9015°
01:0015847540.0589.70.7415°
02:0015653610.0598.70.6215°
03:0015447570.0588.00.5414°
04:0015348581.0577.50.5014°
05:0015248591.0567.60.5213°
06:0015151611.0558.70.6513°
07:0015166751.054100.8313°
08:0015182911.053110.9514°
09:0015164722.0568.90.8613°
10:0015150542.0616.40.7413°
11:0015149503.0644.50.6713°
12:0015149493.0663.60.6913°
13:0015252523.0663.20.7513°
14:0015360602.0663.00.8313°
15:0015367671.0642.80.9613°
16:0015469690.0602.71.1114°
17:0015465650.0572.71.1615°
18:0015552520.0562.81.0016°
19:0015433330.0552.90.7316°
20:0015318183.0512.80.5016°
21:00151111118402.30.3616°
22:001456.97.039251.50.2616°
23:001375.35.454141.10.2016°
Tomorrow
00:001314.24.6589.91.20.1715°
01:001254.65.7569.21.60.1715°
02:001216.29.5549.51.90.1714°
03:001169.422559.71.90.1714°
04:00112165756111.80.1613°
05:00109249553151.90.1813°
06:001063210542242.70.2712°
07:001045011627353.80.3812°
08:00103449520404.30.4412°
09:0099224829323.70.3914°
10:0095152746182.50.2715°
11:00921321607.71.60.1916°
12:00891118673.61.20.1617°
13:00869.916713.11.00.1517°
14:00829.615687.81.40.1818°
15:0078101553222.40.2718°
16:0073162132403.80.3917°
17:0068545915555.60.5417°
18:00671131187.0628.00.7215°
19:00721131192.064110.9314°
20:00791041130.065131.0613°
21:0087971090.065131.0712°
22:0095961110.063131.0112°
23:00103931140.061130.9411°

Today at a glance

Worst stretch
All day
peaks at AQI 161
Tomorrow
Better, peak 131
peak at 00:00

The week, hour by hour

Tomorrow eases, with the forecast peak down to AQI 131 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) around 00:00. The 5-day outlook reads Saturday (unhealthy), Sunday (unhealthy for sensitive groups), Monday (unhealthy), Tuesday (unhealthy), and Wednesday (unhealthy) — Tuesday looks the worst.

Each cell is one forecast hour, coloured by air quality band. A ring marks the day's worst hour. The blue ring marks the current hour.

TodayOct 17
Peak 161 at 00:00
Rain16° / 13°
SunOct 18
Peak 131 at 00:00
Overcast18° / 11°
MonOct 19
Peak 175 at 23:00
Overcast18° / 8°
TueOct 20
Peak 186 at 05:00
Light rain showers14° / 9°
WedOct 21
Peak 166 at 00:00
Clear sky15° / 5°

Pollutants right now

Every pollutant on the same AQI scale as the big number above. The index only ever equals the worst score — pollutants don't add up.

050100150+
PM₂.₅fine particles · sets the index now
153
PM₁₀coarse particles
55
NO₂nitrogen dioxide
25
COcarbon monoxide
9
SO₂sulfur dioxide
2
O₃ozone
1
GoodModerateUnhealthy for Sensitive GroupsUnhealthyVery UnhealthyHazardous

The colors cover a wide area, not a street. The forecast works in squares of roughly 11 km across Europe and 45 km elsewhere, so the air where you actually are can differ from the shade under the city.

Check air quality in: Taiyuan · Jining · Linfen · Tai’an · Dalian

About Beijing

CountryChina, Beijing
TimezoneAsia/Shanghai (UTC+8)
Coordinates39.91° N, 116.40° E
Population≈ 19M

Air quality in Beijing — common questions

What is the air quality in Beijing right now?

The current air quality index (AQI) in Beijing is 153 (Unhealthy). Today's forecast peak is AQI 161 (Unhealthy) at 00:00 local time, and tomorrow's forecast peak is AQI 131. These values come from the CAMS forecast model, not from a local monitoring station.

When is air quality expected to be worst in Beijing today?

Today's forecast puts the highest AQI in Beijing at 00:00 during the night, reaching 161. The largest contributor right now is PM₂.₅. Air quality shifts through the day with traffic, wind, how well the air mixes and sunlight, so the hourly chart above shows the pattern for today and tomorrow.

What will the air quality be in Beijing tomorrow?

Tomorrow's forecast peak for Beijing is AQI 131 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) around 00:00 local time, lower than today's peak of 161. A next-day forecast is less certain than today's, so check back in the morning for the updated hourly curve.

Which pollutants drive the AQI in Beijing today?

The air quality index in Beijing is set by PM₂.₅ right now. The modelled level this hour is 18 µg/m³ — 1.2× the World Health Organization's 2021 guideline of 15 µg/m³. The others follow: PM₁₀ (AQI 55), NO₂ (AQI 25), CO (AQI 9), SO₂ (AQI 2), and O₃ (AQI 1).
Pollutant levels in Beijing at the current hour
PollutantSub-indexLevelWHO 2021Vs guideline
PM₂.₅15318 µg/m³15 µg/m³ (24h)1.2×
PM₁₀5518 µg/m³45 µg/m³ (24h)0.4×
NO₂2551 µg/m³25 µg/m³ (24h)2.0×
CO90.50 mg/m³4 mg/m³ (24h)0.1×
SO₂22.8 µg/m³40 µg/m³ (24h)0.1×
O₃13.0 µg/m³100 µg/m³ (8h)0.03×
The overall AQI is the highest of the six sub-indices, so the pollutant with the highest sub-index is the one setting the number shown on this page. Sub-indices are computed over the EPA's averaging periods, while the levels are modelled values for the current hour.

Is air quality improving in Beijing this week?

Over the 5-day forecast, daily peak AQI in Beijing stays between 131 and 186. These are peak values: each day still has cleaner and dirtier hours, which the chart above shows. The worst day of the stretch is Tuesday, peaking at AQI 186.

How is air quality forecast for Beijing, Beijing, China?

Air quality for Beijing is forecast with the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), operated by ECMWF. CAMS models hourly levels of PM2.5, PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Beijing lies at 39.9° N in the Northern Hemisphere, which sets the seasonal pattern of sunlight that drives much of the chemistry behind these pollutants. AQI values on this page use the US EPA scale.
About the Air Quality Index

What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to communicate how clean or polluted the air is and what health effects may be of concern. The AQI runs from 0 to 500 and is divided into six color-coded categories: Good, Moderate, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and Hazardous.

How do I read the AQI values?

Lower AQI values mean cleaner air. An AQI of 0–50 (green) is Good, 51–100 (yellow) is Moderate, 101–150 (orange) is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, 151–200 (red) is Unhealthy, 201–300 (purple) is Very Unhealthy, and 301–500 (maroon) is Hazardous. When the AQI exceeds 100, air quality is considered unhealthy — at first for sensitive groups, then for everyone as the AQI rises.

Who are the sensitive groups?

Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, people who are pregnant, and people who are active outdoors. These groups are more likely to be affected when air quality is poor. If you are in a sensitive group, you can reduce your exposure by taking fewer and shorter outdoor walks when the AQI is elevated.

Which pollutants are measured?

The AQI covers five major pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone (O₃), particle pollution (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). An AQI value is calculated for each pollutant, and the highest value determines the overall AQI.

Where does the air quality data come from?

The hourly air quality data comes from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), which provides global atmospheric composition forecasts. The data is accessed via Open-Meteo, which provides free, open-source weather and air quality APIs. The AQI categories and health guidance follow the EPA AirNow technical standard (EPA-454/B-24-002).

What are the health effects of poor air quality?

Poor air quality can cause respiratory issues, aggravate asthma and allergies, and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. Fine particles (PM₂.₅) can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes millions of premature deaths worldwide each year.

How often is the air quality forecast updated?

The CAMS air quality forecast is updated regularly using atmospheric models. Weather data such as temperature and cloud cover comes from Open-Meteo. The forecast provides up to 5 days of hourly air quality predictions.

AQI Levels (US EPA Standard)

Good (0–50) — Air quality is satisfactory — it's a great day to be active outside
Moderate (51–100) — Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or intense outdoor activity
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101–150) — Sensitive groups should reduce prolonged or intense outdoor activity. Take more breaks and watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath
Unhealthy (151–200) — Everyone should reduce prolonged or intense outdoor activity. Sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion. Consider moving activities indoors
Very Unhealthy (201–300) — Everyone should avoid prolonged or intense outdoor exertion. Sensitive groups should avoid all outdoor physical activity. Move activities indoors or reschedule
Hazardous (301–500) — Health warning — everyone should avoid all outdoor physical activity. Stay indoors and keep activity levels light. Follow tips for keeping particle levels low indoors

AQI categories and health guidance: EPA AirNow (EPA-454/B-24-002, May 2024). Air quality data: CAMS/Copernicus via Open-Meteo.