ToClearSkies

Live readout · Observed —

Most people: normal plans; sensitive lungs watch symptoms

Columbia is breathing 3.8 cigarettes a week

2 cleaner spots within a 3-hour drive How we count it →

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

11.8
PM2.5 µg/m³
56
US AQI
Moderate
Category
1.3
Cleanest in reach · µg/m³
See the 2 cleaner spots

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.

Charleston looks like the better move.19% cleaner air with a verified 2 h 15 min road trip. Rankings balance cleaner air with trip ease.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Columbia Low smoke · AQI 0–50 Some pollution · AQI 51–100 Unhealthy (sensitive) · AQI 101–150 Unhealthy+ · AQI 151+
Top pick
Charlotte
Cel-shaded illustration of Charlotte
#1CharlotteSome particle pollution · AQI 55~1 h 50 min drive

North Carolina· PM2.5 11.1 µg/m³

A major North 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 11.1 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.1/22 × 7 = 3.5 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
6% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Greenville
Cel-shaded illustration of Greenville
#2GreenvilleSome particle pollution · AQI 55~2 h 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 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
3% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Aiken
Cel-shaded illustration of Aiken
#3AikenSome 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.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

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

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Augusta
Cel-shaded illustration of Augusta
#4AugustaSome particle pollution · AQI 57~1 h 30 min drive

Georgia· PM2.5 12.3 µg/m³

A major Georgia 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 12.3 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12.3/22 × 7 = 3.9 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
4% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Florence
Cel-shaded illustration of Florence
#5FlorenceSome particle pollution · AQI 58Checking road route

South Carolina· PM2.5 12.8 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 12.8 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12.8/22 × 7 = 4.1 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
8% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Sumter
Cel-shaded illustration of Sumter
#6SumterSome 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 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 14.1/22 × 7 = 4.5 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

Air is currently worse here than in Columbia

19% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Greenwood
Cel-shaded illustration of Greenwood
#7GreenwoodSome 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 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 16/22 × 7 = 5.1 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

Air is currently worse here than in Columbia

36% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
South Congaree
Cel-shaded illustration of South Congaree
#8South CongareeParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.8 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Irmo
Cel-shaded illustration of Irmo
#9IrmoParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.8 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Hopkins
Cel-shaded illustration of Hopkins
#10HopkinsParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.8 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Lexington
Cel-shaded illustration of Lexington
#11LexingtonParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.8 cigs/wk

South Carolina

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

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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Red Bank
Cel-shaded illustration of Red Bank
#12Red BankParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 3.8 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Charleston
Cel-shaded illustration of Charleston
#13CharlestonSome particle pollution · AQI 52~2 h 15 min drivesaves 0.7 cigs/wk

South Carolina· PM2.5 9.6 µg/m³

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

19% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 9.6 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 9.6/22 × 7 = 3.1 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.2 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Columbia right now

19% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Folly Beach
Cel-shaded illustration of Folly Beach
#14Folly BeachSome particle pollution · AQI 52~2 h 30 min drivesaves 0.7 cigs/wk

South Carolina· PM2.5 9.6 µg/m³

Barrier-island beach town just south of Charleston, swept by open Atlantic wind, with rentals and small inns.

19% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 9.6 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 9.6/22 × 7 = 3.1 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.2 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Columbia right now

19% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
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 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
3% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Pickens
Cel-shaded illustration of Pickens
#16PickensSome 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 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
3% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Saluda
Cel-shaded illustration of Saluda
#17SaludaSome particle pollution · AQI 55Checking road route

North Carolina· PM2.5 11.4 µg/m³

Small Blue Ridge escarpment town on the old Saluda Grade, with cool elevation air and a handful of inns.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.4 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.4/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
3% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Boone
Cel-shaded illustration of Boone
#18BooneLow smoke · AQI 7~3 h 55 min drivesaves 3.3 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 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.5 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Columbia 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Lewisburg
Cel-shaded illustration of Lewisburg
#19LewisburgLow smoke · AQI 8Checking road routesaves 3.3 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.

87% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.5 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.5/22 × 7 = 0.5 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Columbia right now

87% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Staunton
Cel-shaded illustration of Staunton
#20StauntonLow smoke · AQI 11Checking road routesaves 3.2 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.

84% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.9 µg/m³ here vs 11.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.9/22 × 7 = 0.6 here; 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

9.9 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Columbia right now

84% 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.

HotelsRentalsDirections
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 →
TorontoMontréalVancouverCalgaryEdmontonOttawaWinnipegQuébec CityHamiltonKitchener-WaterlooLondonHalifaxVictoriaWindsorOshawaSaskatoonReginaSt. CatharinesKelownaBarrieSherbrookeGuelphAbbotsfordKingstonGreater SudburySaguenayTrois-RivièresMonctonSaint JohnSt. John'sThunder BayPeterboroughLethbridgeNanaimoKamloopsMississaugaBramptonSault Ste. MarieNorth BayWhitehorsePrince GeorgeFort McMurrayMedicine HatFrederictonYellowknifeChilliwackBellevilleBrantfordSurreyLavalMarkhamVaughanBurnabyRichmond
All 145 U.S. cities →
New York CityLos AngelesChicagoHoustonPhoenixPhiladelphiaSan AntonioSan DiegoDallasFort WorthJacksonvilleAustinSan JoseCharlotteColumbusIndianapolisSan FranciscoSeattleDenverWashington, D.C.NashvilleOklahoma CityBostonPortlandLas VegasDetroitMemphisLouisvilleBaltimoreMilwaukeeAlbuquerqueTucsonFresnoSacramentoAtlantaKansas CityColorado SpringsOmahaRaleighMiamiVirginia BeachMinneapolisTulsaTampaWichitaClevelandNew OrleansPittsburghCincinnatiSt. LouisOrlandoBuffaloSalt Lake CityRichmondBirminghamCharlestonProvidenceHartfordGrand RapidsEugeneBoiseSpokaneMissoulaBillingsBozemanRenoBakersfieldStocktonModestoRiversideSan BernardinoChicoReddingSalemMedfordBendYakimaAnchorageEl PasoAmarilloLubbockLittle RockBaton RougeShreveportJacksonMobileMontgomeryKnoxvilleLexingtonDaytonToledoAkronFort WayneDes MoinesMadisonGreen BayFargoSioux FallsRapid CityAlbanyRochesterSyracuseWorcesterSpringfieldAllentownHarrisburgNorfolkGreensboroWinston-SalemDurhamGreenvilleAugustaTallahasseeSarasotaFort MyersSt. PetersburgSpringfieldBoulderFort CollinsProvoOgdenHonoluluCorpus ChristiBellinghamTacomaOlympiaYumaErieScrantonYoungstownCantonPeoriaRockfordTopekaPensacolaLafayetteBeaumontWacoMcAllenLaredoMesaArlingtonAuroraAnaheimHenderson

What this means · Columbia

Phew.

3.8cigarettes

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.

11.8 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 11.8 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 11.8/22 × 7 = 3.8 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →