Is the air in Santiago safe today?

No, it is a health alert. Right now the US AQI in Santiago is 217, 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 Santiago?

Sat 11:00–14:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 85. The worst hour is around Fri 14:00, at 217.

What is the main pollutant in Santiago?

Ozone (O3). It drives the index right now, at 239 µg/m³. Formed by sunlight acting on traffic and plant emissions. Highest on hot, still afternoons, often downwind of cities.

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

2.2 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 34 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 Santiago's air?

About 1.5 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 34 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Santiago improve this week?

Sunday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 67, against 217 on Friday, the worst day in the forecast.

Santiago air quality

Chile · Live AQI and hourly forecast for the next 5 days · valid Fri 14:00 local time

217

Very unhealthy

US AQI, mostly O₃

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: 82–217US AQI, highest around Fri 14:00
Best time outside: Sat 11:00–14:00US AQI about 85
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 2.2×34 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 1.5 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Santiago right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	41 µg/m³	Sensitive	2.2×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	42 µg/m³	Good	0.9×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	9.0 µg/m³	Good	1.2×
Ozone O₃	239 µg/m³	Very unhealthy	1.7×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	34 µg/m³	Good	0.7×
Carbon monoxide CO	531 µg/m³	Good	0.2×
Aerosol optical depth	0.34	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	0 µg/m³	Modelled surface dust
UV index	10	Very high

“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 217 around Fri 14:00, lowest 39 around Sun 05:00.

50100150200

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

5-day air quality forecast for Santiago

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
Fri 13 Nov	82–217	Very unhealthy	14:00	42	10 Very high
Sat 14 Nov	69–110	Sensitive	8:00	30	10 Very high
Sun 15 Nov	39–67	Moderate	23:00	13	8 Very high
Mon 16 Nov	58–79	Moderate	2:00	20	8 Very high
Tue 17 Nov	52–69	Moderate	11:00	15	9 Very high

Common questions about the air in Santiago

Is the air in Santiago safe today?
No, it is a health alert. Right now the US AQI in Santiago is 217, 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 Santiago?
Sat 11:00–14:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 85. The worst hour is around Fri 14:00, at 217.
What is the main pollutant in Santiago?
Ozone (O₃). It drives the index right now, at 239 µg/m³. Formed by sunlight acting on traffic and plant emissions. Highest on hot, still afternoons, often downwind of cities.
How does Santiago's air compare with the WHO guideline?
2.2 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 34 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 Santiago's air?
About 1.5 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 34 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Santiago improve this week?
Sunday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 67, against 217 on Friday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Santiago

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Unnamed sensor Sensor.Community, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 12 µg/m³ · Fri 14:38 PM₁₀: 31 µg/m³ · Fri 14:38	11 km	56	Moderate

Air quality near Santiago

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: La Paz (27); worst: Rio de Janeiro (179). The tick on each bar is Santiago, at 217.

Buenos Aires 1,139 km E 39 Good
La Paz 1,903 km N 27 Good
Lima 2,466 km N 71 Moderate
São Paulo 2,585 km E 93 Moderate
Rio de Janeiro 2,927 km E 179 Unhealthy
Quito 3,788 km N 48 Good

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 33.45°S, 70.67°W, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.