Is the air in Almaty safe today?

Not for sensitive groups. Right now the US AQI in Almaty is 107, which counts as unhealthy for sensitive groups. Kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit long outdoor exertion.

When is the best time to be outside in Almaty?

Sat 12:00–15:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 88. The worst hour is around Sat 21:00, at 147.

What is the main pollutant in Almaty?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 38 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

How does Almaty's air compare with the WHO guideline?

2.5 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 37 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. NO2 and SO2 are also forecast above their guideline levels.

How many cigarettes is a day of Almaty's air?

About 1.7 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 37 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Almaty improve this week?

Monday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 105, against 149 on Tuesday, the worst day in the forecast.

Almaty air quality

Kazakhstan · Live AQI and hourly forecast for the next 5 days · valid Fri 22:00 local time

107

Unhealthy for sensitive groups

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit long outdoor exertion.

Next 24 hours: 88–147US AQI, highest around Sat 21:00
Best time outside: Sat 12:00–15:00US AQI about 88
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 2.5×37 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 1.7 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

The live globe, centred on Almaty. Switch pollutants, drag through the next 5 days or press play. Full map →

Pollutants in Almaty right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	38 µg/m³	Sensitive	2.5×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	39 µg/m³	Good	0.9×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	35 µg/m³	Good	1.5×
Ozone O₃	33 µg/m³	Good	0.6×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	106 µg/m³	Moderate	2.4×
Carbon monoxide CO	2,285 µg/m³	Good	0.4×
Aerosol optical depth	0.18	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	1 µg/m³	Modelled surface dust
UV index	0	Low

“Next 24 h vs WHO” compares the forecast with the World Health Organization’s 2021 guideline levels: 24-hour means of 15 µg/m³ for PM_2.5, 45 for PM₁₀, 25 for NO₂, 40 for SO₂ and 4 mg/m³ for CO, and 100 µg/m³ over 8 hours for ozone. Above 1× is above the guideline. Levels follow the US AQI, which is far less strict than the WHO, so air rated Good can still be above a guideline.

Next 48 hours

Hourly US AQI. Highest 147 around Sat 21:00, lowest 80 around Sun 21:00.

50100150

Good 0–50Moderate 51–100Sensitive 101–150Unhealthy 151–200Very unhealthy 201–300Hazardous 301+

5-day air quality forecast for Almaty

Daily range of the hourly US AQI, from lowest to highest, on a scale of 0 to 150.

Day	US AQI	At worst	Worst hour	PM_2.5 avg	UV max
Fri 13 Nov	71–109	Sensitive	8:00	28	2 Low
Sat 14 Nov	88–147	Sensitive	21:00	38	2 Low
Sun 15 Nov	61–121	Sensitive	0:00	30	2 Low
Mon 16 Nov	21–105	Sensitive	22:00	14	2 Low
Tue 17 Nov	61–149	Sensitive	19:00	28	2 Low

Common questions about the air in Almaty

Is the air in Almaty safe today?
Not for sensitive groups. Right now the US AQI in Almaty is 107, which counts as unhealthy for sensitive groups. Kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit long outdoor exertion.
When is the best time to be outside in Almaty?
Sat 12:00–15:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 88. The worst hour is around Sat 21:00, at 147.
What is the main pollutant in Almaty?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 38 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Almaty's air compare with the WHO guideline?
2.5 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 37 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. NO₂ and SO₂ are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Almaty's air?
About 1.7 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 37 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Almaty improve this week?
Monday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 105, against 149 on Tuesday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Almaty

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 29 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00	0.4 km	88	Moderate
Unnamed sensor Sensor.Community, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 10 µg/m³ · Fri 22:37 PM₁₀: 15 µg/m³ · Fri 22:37	1.0 km	53	Moderate
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 25 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00	1.4 km	81	Moderate

Air quality near Almaty

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Kabul (55); worst: Lahore (174). The tick on each bar is Almaty, at 107.

Bishkek 189 km W 88 Moderate
Tashkent 662 km W 123 Sensitive
Islamabad 1,111 km S 98 Moderate
Kabul 1,168 km SW 55 Moderate
Lahore 1,319 km S 174 Unhealthy
Chandigarh 1,389 km S 96 Moderate

All 162 cities →

About this forecast

Forecast from CAMS global via Open-Meteo: the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) model at about 40 km resolution (about 10 km inside Europe). Global runs update every 12 hours and European runs every 24 hours. Models smooth out street-level peaks, so busy roads and industrial sites can be worse than shown. Nearby station measurements are independent observations, not adjustments to the forecast. The point forecast uses Open-Meteo’s CAMS products, including a separate carbon monoxide product; it can differ from the globe’s global grid. The AQI rates each hour on the US EPA scale, the same way the map colors it; official daily figures average over 24 hours (8 for ozone), so they can read lower after a short peak. Readings for 43.22°N, 76.85°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.