Air quality
Air quality in Kanpur today
Updated
Unhealthy (US AQI 155) Everyone should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors; sensitive groups should avoid it and keep windows closed. Model estimate for Mon, Oct 26, 4:16 am (22:46 UTC).
Live AQI, PM2.5, PM10 and ozone for Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, with a 48-hour forecast and the best time to be outside.
- US AQI now
- 155 Unhealthy
- PM2.5
- 52 µg/m³ 3.4× WHO 24-h guideline
- PM10
- 72 µg/m³
- Ozone
- 49 µg/m³
Air quality in Kanpur right now
Right now the modelled US Air Quality Index for Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India is 155, which falls in the "Unhealthy" band (up to 200). Everyone should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors; sensitive groups should avoid it and keep windows closed.
PM2.5 is 52 µg/m³, 3.4 times the WHO 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³; PM10 is 72 µg/m³ against a guideline of 45; ozone is 49 µg/m³ (below the WHO 8-hour level of 100); nitrogen dioxide is 19 µg/m³ (below the 24-hour guideline of 25).
Kanpur vs the rest of India
Across 245 India cities we track, the average US AQI right now is 116 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Kanpur at 155 is 39 points worse than average.
It ranks 203 of 245 from cleanest to most polluted; the cleanest is Dindigul (25) and the most polluted Karnāl (440).
For context, the median across 3,556 cities worldwide is 58.
Air quality in cities near Kanpur
| City | Distance | US AQI | Category | PM2.5 µg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucknow | 71 km | 168 | Unhealthy | 58.9 |
| Gauriganj | 137 km | 171 | Unhealthy | 120.1 |
| Shāhjānpur | 163 km | 144 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 42.1 |
| Prayagraj | 188 km | 176 | Unhealthy | 142.5 |
| Fīrozābād | 208 km | 155 | Unhealthy | 46.1 |
| Jhānsi | 209 km | 88 | Moderate | 32.6 |
| Gwalior | 218 km | 104 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 52.5 |
| Bareilly | 230 km | 119 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 38.1 |
Model vs measured
We found no measured PM2.5 sensor cell within 25 km of Kanpur, so the numbers on this page are model estimates. Models capture regional pollution well but can miss very local sources such as a busy road or a nearby fire.
Wildfire smoke
PM2.5 is forecast to reach 52 µg/m³ in the next 24 hours while NASA satellites detected 333 fire hotspots within 300 km in the last day (nearest about 22 km away). Smoke is a likely contributor: keep windows closed, run an air purifier or HVAC filter, and check the fire map before heading out.
Advice for sensitive groups
At 155, children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with asthma, COPD or heart disease should limit time outdoors, especially strenuous activity. A well-fitted N95/FFP2 mask cuts particle exposure; it does not filter ozone.
What the US AQI numbers mean
| US AQI | Category | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0-50 | Good | Air quality is satisfactory and poses little or no risk; a good time for outdoor activity. |
| 51-100 | Moderate | Acceptable for most people. Unusually sensitive people should consider shortening long or heavy exertion outdoors. |
| 101-150 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should cut back on prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. |
| 151-200 | Unhealthy | Everyone should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors; sensitive groups should avoid it and keep windows closed. |
| 201-300 | Very Unhealthy | Health alert: everyone should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors, and sensitive groups should stay indoors. |
| 301-500 | Hazardous | Emergency conditions: everyone should avoid all outdoor physical activity and stay indoors with filtered air if possible. The scale tops out at 500; heavier dust or smoke is shown as 500. |
Values on this page are modelled by CAMS (Copernicus) and served by Open-Meteo; they are estimates for the area around the city centre, not readings from an official monitor.
Nearby cities
More for Kanpur
Air quality elsewhere
Data: Open-Meteo Air Quality API, Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), NASA FIRMS.