Is the air in Kolkata safe today?

No, it is a health alert. Right now the US AQI in Kolkata is 210, which counts as very unhealthy. Health alert. Avoid outdoor activity, keep windows closed and run an air purifier if you have one.

When is the best time to be outside in Kolkata?

Sat 08:00–11:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 187. The worst hour is around Sat 21:00, at 286.

What is the main pollutant in Kolkata?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 134 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

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

9.0 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 135 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM10, NO2 and O3 are also forecast above their guideline levels.

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

About 6.1 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 135 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Kolkata improve this week?

Today looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 212, against 286 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Kolkata air quality

India · Live AQI and hourly forecast for the next 5 days · valid Fri 22:30 local time

210

Very unhealthy

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Health alert. Avoid outdoor activity, keep windows closed and run an air purifier if you have one.

Next 24 hours: 174–286US AQI, highest around Sat 21:00
Best time outside: Sat 08:00–11:00US AQI about 187
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 9.0×135 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 6.1 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Kolkata right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	134 µg/m³	Very unhealthy	9.0×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	139 µg/m³	Moderate	3.2×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	59 µg/m³	Good	1.5×
Ozone O₃	41 µg/m³	Good	2.1×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	40 µg/m³	Good	1.0×
Carbon monoxide CO	1,007 µg/m³	Good	0.3×
Aerosol optical depth	0.62	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	8 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 286 around Sat 21:00, lowest 174 around Sat 09:00.

50100150200300

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

5-day air quality forecast for Kolkata

Daily range of the hourly US AQI, from lowest to highest, on a scale of 0 to 300.

Day	US AQI	At worst	Worst hour	PM_2.5 avg	UV max
Fri 13 Nov	153–212	Very unhealthy	23:00	84	5 Moderate
Sat 14 Nov	174–286	Very unhealthy	21:00	141	4 Moderate
Sun 15 Nov	181–270	Very unhealthy	0:00	152	4 Moderate
Mon 16 Nov	155–269	Very unhealthy	23:00	127	5 Moderate
Tue 17 Nov	156–278	Very unhealthy	1:00	110	5 Moderate

Common questions about the air in Kolkata

Is the air in Kolkata safe today?
No, it is a health alert. Right now the US AQI in Kolkata is 210, which counts as very unhealthy. Health alert. Avoid outdoor activity, keep windows closed and run an air purifier if you have one.
When is the best time to be outside in Kolkata?
Sat 08:00–11:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 187. The worst hour is around Sat 21:00, at 286.
What is the main pollutant in Kolkata?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 134 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Kolkata's air compare with the WHO guideline?
9.0 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 135 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM₁₀, NO₂ and O₃ are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Kolkata's air?
About 6.1 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 135 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Kolkata improve this week?
Today looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 212, against 286 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Kolkata

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Fort William, Kolkata - WBPCB OpenAQ, reference monitor PM_2.5: 44 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 PM₁₀: 83 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 NO₂: 70 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 O₃: 16 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 SO₂: 49 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 CO: 1.5 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15	2.8 km	121	Sensitive
Victoria, Kolkata - WBPCB OpenAQ, reference monitor PM_2.5: 78 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00 PM₁₀: 107 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00 NO₂: 54 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00 O₃: 10 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00 SO₂: 28 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00 CO: 2.2 µg/m³ · Fri 22:00	3.9 km	167	Unhealthy
Ballygunge, Kolkata - WBPCB OpenAQ, reference monitor PM_2.5: 71 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 PM₁₀: 126 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 NO₂: 193 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 O₃: 9.1 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 SO₂: 18 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15 CO: 2.6 µg/m³ · Fri 21:15	4.0 km	162	Unhealthy

Air quality near Kolkata

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Dhaka (158); worst: Lucknow (286). The tick on each bar is Kolkata, at 210.

Jhargram 143 km W 212 Very unhealthy
Dhaka 251 km NE 158 Unhealthy
Patna 469 km NW 273 Very unhealthy
Kathmandu 649 km NW 204 Very unhealthy
Lucknow 887 km NW 286 Very unhealthy
Kanpur 920 km NW 180 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 22.57°N, 88.36°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.