When is the best time to be outside in Wuhan?

Sat 14:00–17:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 97. The worst hour is around Sat 22:00, at 275.

What is the main pollutant in Wuhan?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 80 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

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

5.8 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 87 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM10, NO2 and SO2 are also forecast above their guideline levels.

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

About 4.0 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 87 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Wuhan improve this week?

Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 134, against 275 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Wuhan air quality

Q: Is the air in Wuhan safe today?

No. Right now the US AQI in Wuhan is 168, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors. It is expected to reach 275 (very unhealthy) around Sat 22:00.

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

168

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: 96–275US AQI, highest around Sat 22:00
Best time outside: Sat 14:00–17:00US AQI about 97
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 5.8×87 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 4.0 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Wuhan right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	80 µg/m³	Unhealthy	5.8×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	82 µg/m³	Moderate	2.0×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	72 µg/m³	Good	2.6×
Ozone O₃	0.0 µg/m³	Good	0.4×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	67 µg/m³	Good	2.2×
Carbon monoxide CO	4,214 µg/m³	Good	0.7×
Aerosol optical depth	0.40	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 275 around Sat 22:00, lowest 83 around Sun 13:00.

50100150200300

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

5-day air quality forecast for Wuhan

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
Sat 14 Nov	96–275	Very unhealthy	22:00	85	1 Low
Sun 15 Nov	83–207	Very unhealthy	0:00	58	2 Low
Mon 16 Nov	95–163	Unhealthy	8:00	52	2 Low
Tue 17 Nov	68–134	Sensitive	8:00	35	1 Low

Common questions about the air in Wuhan

Is the air in Wuhan safe today?
No. Right now the US AQI in Wuhan is 168, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors. It is expected to reach 275 (very unhealthy) around Sat 22:00.
When is the best time to be outside in Wuhan?
Sat 14:00–17:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 97. The worst hour is around Sat 22:00, at 275.
What is the main pollutant in Wuhan?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 80 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Wuhan's air compare with the WHO guideline?
5.8 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 87 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM₁₀, NO₂ and SO₂ are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Wuhan's air?
About 4.0 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 87 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Wuhan improve this week?
Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 134, against 275 on Saturday, the worst day in the forecast.

Air quality near Wuhan

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Shenzhen (57); worst: Xi'an (180). The tick on each bar is Wuhan, at 168.

Xi'an 653 km NW 180 Unhealthy
Shanghai 687 km E 152 Unhealthy
Guangzhou 836 km S 109 Sensitive
Shenzhen 895 km S 57 Moderate
Hong Kong 920 km S 57 Moderate
Taipei 944 km SE 66 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 30.59°N, 114.31°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.