When is the best time to be outside in Chengdu?

Sat 13:00–16:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 152. The worst hour is around Sat 08:00, at 221.

What is the main pollutant in Chengdu?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 123 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

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

6.1 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 91 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM10 and NO2 are also forecast above their guideline levels.

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

About 4.1 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 91 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Chengdu improve this week?

Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 162, against 221 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Chengdu air quality

Q: Is the air in Chengdu safe today?

No. Right now the US AQI in Chengdu is 198, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors. It is expected to reach 221 (very unhealthy) around Sat 08:00.

China · Live AQI and hourly forecast for the next 5 days · valid Sat 01:00 local time

198

Unhealthy

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors.

Next 24 hours: 151–221US AQI, highest around Sat 08:00
Best time outside: Sat 13:00–16:00US AQI about 152
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 6.1×91 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 4.1 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Chengdu right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	123 µg/m³	Unhealthy	6.1×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	123 µg/m³	Moderate	2.0×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	84 µg/m³	Good	2.3×
Ozone O₃	0.0 µg/m³	Good	0.6×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	14 µg/m³	Good	0.4×
Carbon monoxide CO	5,829 µg/m³	Moderate	0.8×
Aerosol optical depth	0.68	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 221 around Sat 08:00, lowest 113 around Sun 16:00.

50100150200

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

5-day air quality forecast for Chengdu

Daily range of the hourly US AQI, from lowest to highest, on a scale of 0 to 250.

Day	US AQI	At worst	Worst hour	PM_2.5 avg	UV max
Sat 14 Nov	151–221	Very unhealthy	8:00	92	2 Low
Sun 15 Nov	113–172	Unhealthy	0:00	63	3 Moderate
Mon 16 Nov	103–165	Unhealthy	0:00	50	2 Low
Tue 17 Nov	60–162	Unhealthy	8:00	43	5 Moderate

Common questions about the air in Chengdu

Is the air in Chengdu safe today?
No. Right now the US AQI in Chengdu is 198, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors. It is expected to reach 221 (very unhealthy) around Sat 08:00.
When is the best time to be outside in Chengdu?
Sat 13:00–16:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 152. The worst hour is around Sat 08:00, at 221.
What is the main pollutant in Chengdu?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 123 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Chengdu's air compare with the WHO guideline?
6.1 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 91 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM₁₀ and NO₂ are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Chengdu's air?
About 4.1 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 91 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Chengdu improve this week?
Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 162, against 221 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Air quality near Chengdu

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Shenzhen (57); worst: Hanoi (207). The tick on each bar is Chengdu, at 198.

Xi'an 620 km NE 180 Unhealthy
Wuhan 980 km E 168 Unhealthy
Hanoi 1,076 km S 207 Very unhealthy
Guangzhou 1,231 km SE 109 Sensitive
Shenzhen 1,335 km SE 57 Moderate
Hong Kong 1,360 km SE 57 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 30.57°N, 104.07°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.