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Buffalo air right now

GoodAQI 22

Buffalo’s five-day smoke forecast shows the current index and the clearest time ahead.

22
AQI now
4
PM2.5 · µg/m³
Look farther for cleaner air

Where are you?

Search covers Canada and the United States.

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.
Buffalo Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Port Hope
Cel-shaded illustration of Port Hope
AQHI 1
#1Port HopeChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

Lake Ontario heritage town near Cobourg, with a walkable historic Main Street and open-water air.

75% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1/22 × 7 = 0.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

75% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Peterborough station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Peterborough station. PM2.5 from the Peterborough monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Ellicottville
Cel-shaded illustration of Ellicottville
AQI 9
#2Ellicottville~1 h 10 min drive

New York· Good

Enchanted Mountains ski-and-hike town in western New York, a walkable four-season base with cool upland air and abundant lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 1.6 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.6/22 × 7 = 0.5 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

60% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 6:12 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
Still smoky
Canandaigua
Cel-shaded illustration of Canandaigua
AQI 12
#3Canandaigua~1 h 50 min drive

New York· Good

Resort town at the north end of Canandaigua Lake, with a lakeside pier, wineries and a broad lodging base.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 2.2 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 2.2/22 × 7 = 0.7 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
45% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 from the Rochester monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Rochester
Cel-shaded illustration of Rochester
AQI 16
#4Rochester~1 h 35 min drive

New York· Good

A major New York 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 2.8 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 2.8/22 × 7 = 0.9 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
30% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 from the Rochester Near-road monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Hamilton
Cel-shaded illustration of Hamilton
AQHI 1
#5Hamilton~1 h 25 min drive

Ontario· Low risk

A major Ontario 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 4 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 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

AQHI 1: Low risk (Hamilton Downtown station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Hamilton Downtown station. PM2.5 from the Hamilton Mountain monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Mississauga
Cel-shaded illustration of Mississauga
AQHI 1
#6Mississauga~1 h 45 min drive

Ontario· Low risk

A major Ontario 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 4 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 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

AQHI 1: Low risk (Mississauga station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Mississauga station. PM2.5 from the Misssissauga monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Brantford
Cel-shaded illustration of Brantford
AQHI 1
#7BrantfordChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

A major Ontario 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 4 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 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

AQHI 1: Low risk (Brantford station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Brantford station. PM2.5 from the Brantford monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Brampton
Cel-shaded illustration of Brampton
AQHI 1
#8Brampton~2 h drive

Ontario· Low risk

A major Ontario 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 4 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 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

AQHI 1: Low risk (Brampton station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Brampton station. PM2.5 from the Brampton monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Niagara Falls
Cel-shaded illustration of Niagara Falls
AQI 28
#9Niagara FallsChecking road route

New York· Good

US-side falls city on the Niagara River gorge, with river-air exposure and a broad hotel base.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 5 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5/22 × 7 = 1.6 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
25% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 2: Low risk (St. Catharines station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the St. Catharines station. PM2.5 from the St. Catharines monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Niagara Falls
Cel-shaded illustration of Niagara Falls
AQHI 2
#10Niagara FallsChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

Canadian-side falls city with the wider Horseshoe Falls view, a dense tourist hotel strip on the gorge.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 5 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5/22 × 7 = 1.6 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
25% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 2: Low risk (St. Catharines station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the St. Catharines station. PM2.5 from the St. Catharines monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
St. Catharines
Cel-shaded illustration of St. Catharines
AQHI 2
#11St. Catharines~40 min drive

Ontario· Low risk

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

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 5 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5/22 × 7 = 1.6 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
25% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 2: Low risk (St. Catharines station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the St. Catharines station. PM2.5 from the St. Catharines monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Cel-shaded illustration of Niagara-on-the-Lake
AQI 28
#12Niagara-on-the-Lake~50 min drive

Ontario· Good

Wine-country town where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, dense with inns and B&Bs.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 5 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5/22 × 7 = 1.6 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
25% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 2: Low risk (St. Catharines station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the St. Catharines station. PM2.5 from the St. Catharines monitor.

Directions
Port Perry
Cel-shaded illustration of Port Perry
AQHI 1
#13Port PerryChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

Lake Scugog harbour town northeast of Toronto, an easy open-water escape with a historic Main Street.

83% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0.7 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.7/22 × 7 = 0.2 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

3.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

83% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Oshawa station)

Observed Aug 23, 6:27 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Oshawa station. PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
Lakefield
Cel-shaded illustration of Lakefield
AQHI 1
#14LakefieldChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

Kawartha Lakes village on the Trent-Severn Waterway, an easy lake-country escape from Toronto.

75% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1/22 × 7 = 0.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

75% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Peterborough station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Peterborough station. PM2.5 from the Peterborough monitor.

Directions
Buckhorn
Cel-shaded illustration of Buckhorn
AQHI 1
#15BuckhornChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

Kawarthas village on Buckhorn Lake, an open-water base with cottage rentals and marinas.

75% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1/22 × 7 = 0.3 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

75% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Peterborough station)

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDT

AQHI from the Peterborough station. PM2.5 from the Peterborough monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Geneva
Cel-shaded illustration of Geneva
AQI 7
#16Geneva~2 h 15 min drive

New York· Good

Lakefront small city at the head of Seneca Lake, a wine-country base with historic hotels and open-water exposure.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

68% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 6:12 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
Still smoky
Penn Yan
Cel-shaded illustration of Penn Yan
AQI 8
#17Penn YanChecking road route

New York· Good

Village at the north end of Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes, with lakefront inns and open-water air.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 1.4 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.4/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.6 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

65% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 6:27 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
Lion's Head
Cel-shaded illustration of Lion's Head
AQI 0
#18Lion's HeadChecking road route

Ontario· Good

Bruce Peninsula village on a limestone-cliff harbour, wrapped in open Georgian Bay air.

100% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0/22 × 7 = 0 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

100% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 6:27 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town. No AQHI station is close enough.

Directions
Killarney
Cel-shaded illustration of Killarney
AQI 0
#19Killarney~7 h 30 min drive

Ontario· Good

Remote village beside Killarney Park’s white quartzite ridges, on the north channel of Georgian Bay.

100% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0/22 × 7 = 0 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

100% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 6:12 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
Little Current (Manitoulin Island)
Cel-shaded illustration of Little Current (Manitoulin Island)
AQI 0
#20Little Current (Manitoulin Island)~8 h 40 min drive

Ontario· Good

Manitoulin’s main harbour town, on the world’s largest freshwater island and surrounded by Huron’s North Channel.

100% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0 µg/m³ here vs 4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0/22 × 7 = 0 here; 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Buffalo right now

100% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Aug 23, 6:12 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
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.

Observed Aug 23, 5:00 p.m. EDTLast scan Aug 23, 6:27 p.m. EDT · 49 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 →

More air-quality pages in New York →
Albany air qualityNew York City air qualityRochester air qualitySyracuse air quality
Air quality in nearby cities →
St. Catharines air qualityHamilton air qualityToronto air qualityMississauga air qualityOshawa air qualityMarkham air qualityBrantford air qualityVaughan air qualityBrampton air qualityErie air qualityGuelph air qualityKitchener-Waterloo air quality

What this means · Buffalo

Good

AQI 22

AQI = Air Quality Index

Typical person. Air quality is satisfactory for most outdoor plans.

Kids, seniors, heart or lung conditions. Unusually sensitive people can still enjoy the outdoors.

The AQI on this page follows fine particles (PM2.5). Particles here are 4 µg/m³ (Clean), so the headline and the particle scale below tell the same story.

Act two · Fine particles only

Where PM2.5 lands

This bar is smoke and fine particles (PM2.5) only. Left is cleaner air; right is heavier particle pollution. Today's particles sit in Clean.

4 µg/m³
Clean · 0Smoky · 40Severe · 80+

Act three · Particle ladder

What each PM2.5 rung feels like

  • 0–3µg/m³Natural. About as clean as outdoor air realistically gets.
  • 3–5µg/m³Clean. Crisp, destination-worthy air.
  • 5–9µg/m³Good. 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. Symptoms become more likely, especially with asthma or heart disease.
  • 55+µg/m³Severe. Everyone should reduce exposure and clean the indoor air.

Act four · Felt number

Cigarettes a week

A secondary feel for the particle load only — not a medical claim, and not a substitute for AQI.

1.3/wk

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 4 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →