Is the air in Shanghai safe today?

No. Right now the US AQI in Shanghai is 152, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors.

When is the best time to be outside in Shanghai?

Sat 13:00–16:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 87. The worst hour is around Sat 08:00, at 195.

What is the main pollutant in Shanghai?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 58 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

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

3.3 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 50 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 Shanghai's air?

About 2.3 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 50 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Shanghai improve this week?

Sunday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 131, against 195 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Shanghai air quality

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

152

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: 83–195US AQI, highest around Sat 08:00
Best time outside: Sat 13:00–16:00US AQI about 87
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 3.3×50 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 2.3 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Shanghai right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	58 µg/m³	Unhealthy	3.3×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	62 µg/m³	Moderate	1.1×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	71 µg/m³	Good	3.0×
Ozone O₃	0.0 µg/m³	Good	0.0×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	13 µg/m³	Good	0.5×
Carbon monoxide CO	738 µg/m³	Good	0.2×
Aerosol optical depth	0.39	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	0 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 195 around Sat 08:00, lowest 75 around Sun 02:00.

50100150200

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

5-day air quality forecast for Shanghai

Daily range of the hourly US AQI, from lowest to highest, on a scale of 0 to 200.

Day	US AQI	At worst	Worst hour	PM_2.5 avg	UV max
Sat 14 Nov	85–195	Unhealthy	8:00	51	1 Low
Sun 15 Nov	75–131	Sensitive	23:00	30	2 Low
Mon 16 Nov	102–168	Unhealthy	23:00	54	2 Low
Tue 17 Nov	108–170	Unhealthy	18:00	59	2 Low

Common questions about the air in Shanghai

Is the air in Shanghai safe today?
No. Right now the US AQI in Shanghai is 152, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors.
When is the best time to be outside in Shanghai?
Sat 13:00–16:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 87. The worst hour is around Sat 08:00, at 195.
What is the main pollutant in Shanghai?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 58 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Shanghai's air compare with the WHO guideline?
3.3 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 50 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 Shanghai's air?
About 2.3 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 50 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Shanghai improve this week?
Sunday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 131, against 195 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Shanghai

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 59 µg/m³ · Sat 01:00	12 km	153	Unhealthy

Air quality near Shanghai

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Taipei (66); worst: Beijing (283). The tick on each bar is Shanghai, at 152.

Wuhan 687 km W 168 Unhealthy
Taipei 689 km S 66 Moderate
Busan 832 km NE 126 Sensitive
Seoul 866 km NE 158 Unhealthy
Beijing 1,067 km NW 283 Very unhealthy
Guangzhou 1,212 km SW 109 Sensitive

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 31.23°N, 121.47°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.