When is the best time to be outside in Karachi?

Sat 15:00–18:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 75. The worst hour is around Sat 08:00, at 102.

What is the main pollutant in Karachi?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 29 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

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

1.7 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 26 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. NO2 and O3 are also forecast above their guideline levels.

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

About 1.2 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 26 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Karachi improve this week?

Today looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 90, against 133 on Tuesday, the worst day in the forecast.

Karachi air quality

Q: Is the air in Karachi safe today?

For most people, yes. Right now the US AQI in Karachi is 88, which counts as moderate. Acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should ease off long, intense outdoor effort. It is expected to reach 102 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) around Sat 08:00.

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

Moderate

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should ease off long, intense outdoor effort.

Next 24 hours: 74–102US AQI, highest around Sat 08:00
Best time outside: Sat 15:00–18:00US AQI about 75
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 1.7×26 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 1.2 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Karachi right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	29 µg/m³	Moderate	1.7×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	40 µg/m³	Good	0.9×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	46 µg/m³	Good	1.2×
Ozone O₃	34 µg/m³	Good	1.1×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	10 µg/m³	Good	0.2×
Carbon monoxide CO	931 µg/m³	Good	0.2×
Aerosol optical depth	0.29	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	11 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 129 around Sun 08:00, lowest 74 around Sat 16:00.

50100

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

5-day air quality forecast for Karachi

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	69–90	Moderate	19:00	26	5 Moderate
Sat 14 Nov	74–102	Sensitive	8:00	27	6 High
Sun 15 Nov	97–129	Sensitive	8:00	38	5 Moderate
Mon 16 Nov	80–130	Sensitive	23:00	36	5 Moderate
Tue 17 Nov	76–133	Sensitive	8:00	34	6 High

Common questions about the air in Karachi

Is the air in Karachi safe today?
For most people, yes. Right now the US AQI in Karachi is 88, which counts as moderate. Acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should ease off long, intense outdoor effort. It is expected to reach 102 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) around Sat 08:00.
When is the best time to be outside in Karachi?
Sat 15:00–18:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 75. The worst hour is around Sat 08:00, at 102.
What is the main pollutant in Karachi?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 29 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Karachi's air compare with the WHO guideline?
1.7 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 26 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. NO₂ and O₃ are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Karachi's air?
About 1.2 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 26 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Karachi improve this week?
Today looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 90, against 133 on Tuesday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Karachi

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 52 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00	1.6 km	141	Sensitive
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 10 µg/m³ · Fri 21:00	1.6 km	53	Moderate
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 23 µg/m³ · Fri 21:00	5.0 km	77	Moderate

Air quality near Karachi

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Mumbai (119); worst: Gurugram (216). The tick on each bar is Karachi, at 88.

Ahmedabad 602 km E 172 Unhealthy
Mumbai 883 km SE 119 Sensitive
Jaipur 908 km E 120 Sensitive
Pune 999 km SE 119 Sensitive
Lahore 1,033 km NE 174 Unhealthy
Gurugram 1,073 km NE 216 Very unhealthy

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 24.86°N, 67.00°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.