Air quality
Air quality in Xi’an today
Updated
Unhealthy (US AQI 162) Everyone should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors; sensitive groups should avoid it and keep windows closed. Model estimate for Mon, Oct 26, 10:00 am (02:00 UTC).
Live AQI, PM2.5, PM10 and ozone for Xi’an, Shaanxi, China, with a 48-hour forecast and the best time to be outside.
- US AQI now
- 162 Unhealthy
- PM2.5
- 31 µg/m³ 2× WHO 24-h guideline
- PM10
- 33 µg/m³
- Ozone
- 17 µg/m³
- Dominant pollutant
- PM2.5 sub-index 162
- Best hour today
- 9:00 pm AQI 131
- European AQI
- 49
Air quality in Xi’an right now
Right now the modelled US Air Quality Index for Xi’an, Shaanxi, China is 162, 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.
The index is driven mainly by PM2.5, whose own sub-index is 162. Fine and coarse particles come from traffic, heating, industry, dust and smoke; they build up on calm nights and clear when wind or rain arrives.
PM2.5 is 31 µg/m³, 2 times the WHO 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³; PM10 is 33 µg/m³ against a guideline of 45; ozone is 17 µg/m³ (below the WHO 8-hour level of 100); nitrogen dioxide is 33 µg/m³ (above the 24-hour guideline of 25).
Also this hour: UV index 0.5, carbon monoxide 388 µg/m³.
Xi’an AQI forecast: next 48 hours
Over the next 24 hours the AQI is forecast to range from 99 around Tue 4:00 am to 162 around Mon 10:00 am, from "Moderate" at best to "Unhealthy" at worst.
The following day is expected to be worse, averaging about 141 against 129 for the next 24 hours.
| Local time (Asia/Shanghai) | US AQI | Category | PM2.5 µg/m³ | PM10 µg/m³ | Ozone µg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 10:00 am | 162 | Unhealthy | 30.7 | 33 | 17 |
| Mon 1:00 pm | 157 | Unhealthy | 28.8 | 35 | 38 |
| Mon 4:00 pm | 152 | Unhealthy | 24.6 | 37 | 39 |
| Mon 7:00 pm | 143 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 44.5 | 56 | 11 |
| Mon 10:00 pm | 125 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 49.5 | 64 | 0 |
| Tue 1:00 am | 107 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 47 | 63 | 2 |
| Tue 4:00 am | 99 | Moderate | 44.9 | 62 | 2 |
| Tue 7:00 am | 105 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 63.3 | 80 | 0 |
| Tue 10:00 am | 122 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 54.1 | 80 | 12 |
| Tue 1:00 pm | 127 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 36.6 | 60 | 36 |
| Tue 4:00 pm | 130 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 36.1 | 60 | 35 |
| Tue 7:00 pm | 133 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 55.1 | 72 | 18 |
| Tue 10:00 pm | 140 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 104.1 | 123 | 9 |
| Wed 1:00 am | 153 | Unhealthy | 117.8 | 139 | 5 |
| Wed 4:00 am | 158 | Unhealthy | 79.4 | 100 | 5 |
| Wed 7:00 am | 161 | Unhealthy | 89.6 | 114 | 6 |
Every third hour of the CAMS forecast via Open-Meteo. US AQI uses rolling averages (24 h for particles, 8 h for ozone), so it moves more slowly than the hourly concentrations.
Best time to be outside in Xi’an today
Between 6 am and 9 pm local time, the cleanest air today is forecast around 9:00 pm (AQI 131, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) and the worst around 10:00 am (AQI 162). That is a swing of 31 points, so a run or walk around 9:00 pm is noticeably better.
Xi’an vs the rest of China
Across 447 China cities we track, the average US AQI right now is 86 (Moderate). Xi’an at 162 is 76 points worse than average.
It ranks 441 of 447 from cleanest to most polluted; the cleanest is Hulunbuir (19) and the most polluted Kashgar (223).
For context, the median across 3,556 cities worldwide is 58.
Air quality in cities near Xi’an
| City | Distance | US AQI | Category | PM2.5 µg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xianyang | 23 km | 162 | Unhealthy | 30.7 |
| Weinan | 60 km | 98 | Moderate | 20.5 |
| Tongchuan | 71 km | 132 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 14.7 |
| Tongchuanshi | 92 km | 132 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 14.7 |
| Yintai | 97 km | 132 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 14.7 |
| Shangluo | 102 km | 54 | Moderate | 5.9 |
| Yongji | 154 km | 100 | Moderate | 35.3 |
| Baoji | 156 km | 109 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | 24.4 |
Model vs measured
We found no measured PM2.5 sensor cell within 25 km of Xi’an, 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.
Advice for sensitive groups
At 162, 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 Xi’an
Air quality elsewhere
Data: Open-Meteo Air Quality API, Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).