ToClearSkies

Live readout · Observed

Most people: normal plans; sensitive lungs watch symptoms

Augusta is breathing 3.9 cigarettes a week

Nothing cleaner nearby How we count it →

If this became your normal for years, heart and lung risk would measurably rise.

12.3
PM2.5 µg/m³
57
US AQI
Moderate
Category
1.3
Cleanest in reach · µg/m³

Where are you?

The better move within a 3-hour drive

Dates

Dates follow you into hotel searches. Live inventory is confirmed by the provider.

You may already have the cleanest nearby air.No meaningfully cleaner place has a verified road route within 3 hours. Widen the range or show worse air for context.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Augusta Low smoke · AQI 0–50 Some pollution · AQI 51–100 Unhealthy (sensitive) · AQI 101–150 Unhealthy+ · AQI 151+
Top pick
Columbia
Cel-shaded illustration of Columbia
#1ColumbiaSome particle pollution · AQI 56~1 h 30 min drive

South Carolina· PM2.5 11.8 µg/m³

A major South Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.8 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
4% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Aiken
Cel-shaded illustration of Aiken
#2AikenSome particle pollution · AQI 57Checking road route

South Carolina· PM2.5 12.3 µg/m³

South Carolina community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12.3 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
0% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Greenwood
Cel-shaded illustration of Greenwood
#3GreenwoodSome particle pollution · AQI 64Checking road route

South Carolina· PM2.5 16 µg/m³

South Carolina community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 16 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 16/22 × 7 = 5.1 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

Air is currently worse here than in Augusta

30% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 22, 10:27 a.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Grovetown
Cel-shaded illustration of Grovetown
#4GrovetownParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

Georgia

Georgia community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Gloverville
Cel-shaded illustration of Gloverville
#5GlovervilleParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

South Carolina

South Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Hephzibah
Cel-shaded illustration of Hephzibah
#6HephzibahParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

Georgia

Georgia community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Graniteville
Cel-shaded illustration of Graniteville
#7GranitevilleParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

South Carolina

South Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Jackson
Cel-shaded illustration of Jackson
#8JacksonParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

South Carolina

South Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Harlem
Cel-shaded illustration of Harlem
#9HarlemParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

Georgia

Georgia community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
New Ellenton
Cel-shaded illustration of New Ellenton
#10New EllentonParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

South Carolina

South Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Edgefield
Cel-shaded illustration of Edgefield
#11EdgefieldParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

South Carolina

South Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Waynesboro
Cel-shaded illustration of Waynesboro
#12WaynesboroParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.9 cigs/wk

Georgia

Georgia community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Pickens
Cel-shaded illustration of Pickens
#13PickensSome particle pollution · AQI 55Checking road route

South Carolina· PM2.5 11.4 µg/m³

Upstate South Carolina town below Table Rock and the Blue Ridge escarpment, with cool foothill air.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
7% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Greenville
Cel-shaded illustration of Greenville
#14GreenvilleSome particle pollution · AQI 55~2 h 50 min drive

South Carolina· PM2.5 11.4 µg/m³

A major South Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
7% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Tryon
Cel-shaded illustration of Tryon
#15TryonSome particle pollution · AQI 55Checking road route

North Carolina· PM2.5 11.4 µg/m³

Foothills equestrian town on the Blue Ridge escarpment, cooler than the Piedmont with inns and B&Bs.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
7% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 22, 10:12 a.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Gainesville
Cel-shaded illustration of Gainesville
#16GainesvilleSome particle pollution · AQI 57Checking road route

Georgia· PM2.5 12.1 µg/m³

Lake Lanier resort city in the north Georgia foothills, with open-water air and lakeside lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12.1 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12.1/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
2% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Still smoky
Sumter
Cel-shaded illustration of Sumter
#17SumterSome particle pollution · AQI 60Checking road route

South Carolina· PM2.5 14.1 µg/m³

South Carolina community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 14.1 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 14.1/22 × 7 = 4.5 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
15% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 22, 10:27 a.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Boone
Cel-shaded illustration of Boone
#18BooneLow smoke · AQI 7~5 h 20 min drivesaves 3.5 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 1.3 µg/m³

Blue Ridge college town near 3,300 feet in North Carolina's High Country, with cool mountain air and abundant lodging.

89% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

11 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Augusta right now

89% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 22, 10:12 a.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Lewisburg
Cel-shaded illustration of Lewisburg
#19LewisburgLow smoke · AQI 8Checking road routesaves 3.4 cigs/wk

West Virginia· PM2.5 1.5 µg/m³

Greenbrier Valley town in the Allegheny highlands, a historic base with inns and cool ridge-country air.

88% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.5 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.5/22 × 7 = 0.5 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Augusta right now

88% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 22, 10:12 a.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Staunton
Cel-shaded illustration of Staunton
#20StauntonLow smoke · AQI 11Checking road routesaves 3.3 cigs/wk

Virginia· PM2.5 1.9 µg/m³

Shenandoah Valley town ringed by the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies, with a walkable historic downtown of inns.

85% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.9 µg/m³ here vs 12.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.9/22 × 7 = 0.6 here; 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Augusta right now

85% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 22, 10:12 a.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

Bad week ahead? Check the 7-day outlook — if it won’t clear, book the trip

7-day outlook

Plan the next seven days

Pick a day, or compare the whole week. Weather is forecast; air quality is the latest available reading.

Loading the week…

Finding the nicest days and reachable cities.

Last scan Jul 22, 10:27 a.m. EDT · 34 min ago

Why live rankings? Smoke plumes are patchy and shift with the wind, so no direction is reliably cleaner. This list is recalculated from live PM2.5 every hour — and if everything nearby is smoky, it says so.

How we work this out →

Browse all 200 cities by province & state →

All 54 Canadian cities →
All 145 U.S. cities →

What this means · Augusta

Phew.

3.9cigarettes

per week, if this air holds

Act two · The scale

Where today lands

From a crisp horizon to smoke you can taste — here’s your reading on it.

12.3 µg/m³
CrispSome smokeHeavy smoke

Act three · The ladder

What each rung feels like

  • 0–3µg/m³Natural air. About as clean as outdoor air realistically gets.
  • 3–5µg/m³Exceptionally clean. Crisp, destination-worthy air.
  • 5–9µg/m³Good, not pristine. Clean city air; most people will not notice anything today.
  • 9–15µg/m³Elevated. Usually no big deal today; sensitive lungs may notice hard exercise.
  • 15–35µg/m³Polluted. Smoke or traffic pollution is now worth acting on.
  • 35–55µg/m³Unhealthy for sensitive. Symptoms become more likely, especially with asthma or heart disease.
  • 55+µg/m³Unhealthy. Everyone should reduce exposure and clean the indoor air.

Act four · The fine print

The receipts

What is PM2.5?

Fine particles about 30× thinner than a human hair — small enough to slip through your lungs and into your bloodstream. We measure them inµg/m³: micrograms of particle mass in a cubic metre of air.

The math

PM2.5 here is 12.3 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →