Air quality
Air quality in Riyadh today
Updated
Hazardous (US AQI 500) Emergency conditions: everyone should avoid all outdoor physical activity and stay indoors with filtered air if possible. Model estimate for Mon, Oct 26, 1:44 am (22:44 UTC).
Live AQI, PM2.5, PM10 and ozone for Riyadh, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia, with a 48-hour forecast and the best time to be outside.
- US AQI now
- 500 Hazardous
- PM2.5
- 150 µg/m³ 10× WHO 24-h guideline
- PM10
- 1058 µg/m³
- Ozone
- 44 µg/m³
Air quality in Riyadh right now
Right now the modelled US Air Quality Index for Riyadh, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia is 500, which falls in the "Hazardous" band (301 and above). Emergency conditions: everyone should avoid all outdoor physical activity and stay indoors with filtered air if possible.
PM2.5 is 150 µg/m³, 10 times the WHO 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³; PM10 is 1058 µg/m³ against a guideline of 45; ozone is 44 µg/m³ (below the WHO 8-hour level of 100); nitrogen dioxide is 38 µg/m³ (above the 24-hour guideline of 25).
Riyadh vs the rest of Saudi Arabia
Across 18 Saudi Arabia cities we track, the average US AQI right now is 113 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Riyadh at 500 is 387 points worse than average.
It ranks 18 of 18 from cleanest to most polluted; the cleanest is Jizan (53) and the most polluted Riyadh (500).
For context, the median across 3,909 cities worldwide is 57.
Air quality in cities near Riyadh
| City | Distance | US AQI | Category | PM2.5 µg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Kharj | 86 km | 77 | Moderate | 18 |
| Al Hufūf | 298 km | 113 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 35.6 |
| Al Mubarraz | 300 km | 119 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 38.4 |
| Buraydah | 330 km | 78 | Moderate | 38.6 |
| Dammam | 391 km | 115 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 43.9 |
Model vs measured
We found no measured PM2.5 sensor cell within 25 km of Riyadh, 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 150 µg/m³ in the next 24 hours while NASA satellites detected 61 fire hotspots within 300 km in the last day (nearest about 18 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 500, 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 Riyadh
Air quality elsewhere
Data: Open-Meteo Air Quality API, Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), NASA FIRMS.