Air quality index for Riyadh, as of (Asia/Riyadh). Values update hourly — see this page for the current reading and hourly forecast. Today's peak: AQI 1093 at 11:00 local time.

airindex·today

Air Quality in Riyadh

Air quality in Riyadh is AQI 1067 (hazardous) right now, down from today's high of AQI 1093 in the same band around 11:00. Today the index is led by coarse particulate matter (PM₁₀), at 1,121 µg/m³. That concentration is about 24.9× the WHO 24-hour guideline of 45 µg/m³. The index does not drop below 100 at any point today. Across the day the forecast runs from AQI 745 to AQI 1093.

Now, Oct 17at 14:00
1067Hazardous
Good0–50
Moderate51–100
Sensitive groups101–150
Unhealthy151–200
Very unhealthy201–300
Hazardous301+

By pollutant

  • PM₁₀ coarse particles · sets the index nowAQI 1,067
  • PM₂.₅ fine particlesAQI 195
  • O₃ ozoneAQI 33
  • SO₂ sulfur dioxideAQI 12
  • NO₂ nitrogen dioxideAQI 4
  • CO carbon monoxideAQI 2
Health warning — everyone should avoid all outdoor physical activity
Stay indoors and keep activity levels light
Follow tips for keeping particle levels low 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 Riyadh · Local time (GMT+3)

Today, Oct 17
Tomorrow, Oct 18
50
100
150
200
300
Peak 1,093 · 11:00
Peak 714 · 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 · Unhealthy ≤ 200 · Very unhealthy ≤ 300

Now
Show hourly data table
TimeAQIPM₂.₅µg/m³PM₁₀µg/m³O₃µg/m³NO₂µg/m³SO₂µg/m³COmg/m³°C
Today
00:009531188084631430.1926°
01:009401067214728420.1825°
02:00938986654924420.1725°
03:009441901,4755119370.1626°
04:009661681,2704822380.1625°
05:009941379804325390.1725°
06:0010211046694228410.1824°
07:001040854944628460.1925°
08:0010551027125327510.2028°
09:0010711261,1146225520.2032°
10:0010871591,5767520430.1935°
11:0010931431,4169014300.1736°
12:0010811331,29310110210.1536°
13:0010711271,2221068.1190.1436°
14:0010671191,1211068.0210.1436°
15:0010611079849814240.1636°
16:001043927957532290.2035°
17:001017725554356340.2734°
18:00982693961973390.3232°
19:00938663261078440.3431°
20:00890632911076480.3530°
21:00835653131172510.3429°
22:00785602611269520.3429°
23:00745541971664520.3229°
Tomorrow
00:00714501632058520.3028°
01:00687471562552520.2728°
02:00663451523246520.2328°
03:00642451713641520.2027°
04:00588461893641520.2027°
05:00543461983443530.2027°
06:00510502203544550.2126°
07:00491623174144610.2326°
08:00484956314942670.2529°
09:004811331,1405937670.2532°
10:004822052,0047329540.2335°
11:005002082,0198818360.1836°
12:005251701,6249911220.1637°
13:005391451,3451048.5190.1437°
14:005441321,1771059.3220.1337°
15:005461159769617270.1637°
16:00546977667138320.2536°
17:00544825763667400.3935°
18:00545925071187480.5234°
19:005501044994.090580.6632°
20:005571084796.086680.8031°
21:005651084518.081780.9030°
22:005711074288.080850.9729°
23:005781094169.079921.0028°

Today at a glance

Worst stretch
All day
peaks at AQI 1,093
Tomorrow
Better, peak 714
peak at 00:00

The week, hour by hour

Tomorrow eases, with the forecast peak down to AQI 714 (hazardous) around 00:00. Every day in the 5-day forecast peaks in the hazardous band, from AQI 648 to AQI 1334, with Tuesday the highest.

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 1,093 at 11:00
Partly cloudy36° / 24°
SunOct 18
Peak 714 at 00:00
Partly cloudy37° / 26°
MonOct 19
Peak 648 at 09:00
Overcast37° / 23°
TueOct 20
Peak 1,334 at 23:00
Overcast38° / 18°
WedOct 21
Peak 1,321 at 00:00
Overcast37° / 23°

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+
PM₁₀coarse particles · sets the index now
1,067
PM₂.₅fine particles
195
O₃ozone
33
SO₂sulfur dioxide
12
NO₂nitrogen dioxide
4
COcarbon monoxide
2
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: Al Rayyan · Ha'il · Dammam · Hofuf · Buraidah

About Riyadh

CountrySaudi Arabia, Riyadh Region
TimezoneAsia/Riyadh (UTC+3)
Coordinates24.69° N, 46.72° E
Population≈ 4.21M

Air quality in Riyadh — common questions

What is the air quality in Riyadh right now?

The current air quality index (AQI) in Riyadh is 1067 (Hazardous). Today's forecast peak is AQI 1093 (Hazardous) at 11:00 local time, and tomorrow's forecast peak is AQI 714. These values come from the CAMS forecast model, not from a local monitoring station.

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

Today's forecast puts the highest AQI in Riyadh at 11:00 in the morning, reaching 1093. The largest contributor right now is PM₁₀. 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 Riyadh tomorrow?

Tomorrow's forecast peak for Riyadh is AQI 714 (Hazardous) around 00:00 local time, lower than today's peak of 1093. 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 Riyadh today?

The air quality index in Riyadh is set by PM₁₀ right now. The modelled level this hour is 1,121 µg/m³ — 24.9× the World Health Organization's 2021 guideline of 45 µg/m³. The others follow: PM₂.₅ (AQI 195), O₃ (AQI 33), SO₂ (AQI 12), NO₂ (AQI 4), and CO (AQI 2).
Pollutant levels in Riyadh at the current hour
PollutantSub-indexLevelWHO 2021Vs guideline
PM₁₀10671,121 µg/m³45 µg/m³ (24h)24.9×
PM₂.₅195119 µg/m³15 µg/m³ (24h)7.9×
O₃33106 µg/m³100 µg/m³ (8h)1.1×
SO₂1221 µg/m³40 µg/m³ (24h)0.5×
NO₂48.0 µg/m³25 µg/m³ (24h)0.3×
CO20.14 mg/m³4 mg/m³ (24h)0.04×
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 Riyadh this week?

Over the 5-day forecast, daily peak AQI in Riyadh stays between 648 and 1334. 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 1334.

How is air quality forecast for Riyadh, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia?

Air quality for Riyadh 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. Riyadh lies at 24.7° 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.