ToClearSkies
🔥 See current wildfires →
Fargo air right now

ModerateAQI 68

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

68
AQI now
18
PM2.5 · µg/m³
1 cleaner spot within 3 hr drive

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.

Brainerd looks like the better move.62% cleaner air with a verified 2 h 50 min road trip. Rankings balance cleaner air with trip ease.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Fargo Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Wahpeton
Cel-shaded illustration of Wahpeton
AQI 32
#1WahpetonChecking road route

North Dakota· Good

North Dakota community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.

68% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.8 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.8/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

12.2 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

68% 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
Grand Forks
Cel-shaded illustration of Grand Forks
AQI 37
#2Grand ForksChecking road route

North Dakota· Good

North Dakota community with lodging and a separate live air reading for regional smoke comparisons.

63% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 6.7 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 6.7/22 × 7 = 2.1 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

11.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

63% 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
Still smoky
Detroit Lakes
Cel-shaded illustration of Detroit Lakes
AQI 64
#3Detroit Lakes~1 h drive

Minnesota· Moderate

Resort town on a chain of west-Minnesota lakes an easy drive east of Fargo, with a mile-long city beach and lakeside lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 16.2 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 16.2/22 × 7 = 5.2 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
10% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Detroit Lakes monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Horace
Cel-shaded illustration of Horace
AQI unavailable
#4HoraceChecking road route

North Dakota

North Dakota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Casselton
Cel-shaded illustration of Casselton
AQI unavailable
#5CasseltonChecking road route

North Dakota

North Dakota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Hawley
Cel-shaded illustration of Hawley
AQI unavailable
#6HawleyChecking road route

Minnesota

Minnesota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Barnesville
Cel-shaded illustration of Barnesville
AQI unavailable
#7BarnesvilleChecking road route

Minnesota

Minnesota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Pelican Rapids
Cel-shaded illustration of Pelican Rapids
AQI unavailable
#8Pelican RapidsChecking road route

Minnesota

Minnesota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Mayville
Cel-shaded illustration of Mayville
AQI unavailable
#9MayvilleChecking road route

North Dakota

North Dakota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Lisbon
Cel-shaded illustration of Lisbon
AQI unavailable
#10LisbonChecking road route

North Dakota

North Dakota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Fergus Falls
Cel-shaded illustration of Fergus Falls
AQI unavailable
#11Fergus FallsChecking road route

Minnesota

Minnesota 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.

Directions
Still smoky
Valley City
Cel-shaded illustration of Valley City
AQI unavailable
#12Valley CityChecking road route

North Dakota

North Dakota 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.

Directions
Bemidji
Cel-shaded illustration of Bemidji
AQI 18
#13BemidjiChecking road route

Minnesota· Good

Headwaters-of-the-Mississippi city on Lake Bemidji, with open-water air and a broad hotel base.

82% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 3.3 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 3.3/22 × 7 = 1.1 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

14.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

82% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Leech Lake Nation: Cass Lake monitor.

Directions
Walker
Cel-shaded illustration of Walker
AQI 18
#14WalkerChecking road route

Minnesota· Good

Town on Leech Lake, one of Minnesota's largest lakes, far from urban sources with resorts and cabins.

82% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 3.3 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 3.3/22 × 7 = 1.1 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

14.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

82% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Leech Lake Nation: Cass Lake monitor.

Directions
Alexandria
Cel-shaded illustration of Alexandria
AQI 32
#15AlexandriaChecking road route

Minnesota· Good

Hub of Minnesota's lake country amid hundreds of glacial lakes, with resorts and open-water air.

68% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.8 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.8/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

12.2 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

68% 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
Park Rapids
Cel-shaded illustration of Park Rapids
AQI 34
#16Park RapidsChecking road route

Minnesota· Good

Gateway to the Mississippi headwaters and Itasca State Park, deep in Minnesota lake country with cabins.

66% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 6.2 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 6.2/22 × 7 = 2.0 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

11.8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

66% 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
Brainerd
Cel-shaded illustration of Brainerd
AQI 38
#17Brainerd~2 h 50 min drive

Minnesota· Good

Lakes-country hub in central Minnesota surrounded by hundreds of lakes, a classic open-water escape, with resorts and cabins.

62% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 6.9 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 6.9/22 × 7 = 2.2 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

11.1 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

62% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Brainerd monitor.

Directions
Grand Marais
Cel-shaded illustration of Grand Marais
AQI 7
#18Grand Marais~7 h 35 min drive

Minnesota· Good

Harbour town on Lake Superior's North Shore beneath the Sawtooth hills, wrapped in the big lake's cool air, with inns and cabins.

93% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

16.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

93% 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
Minocqua
Cel-shaded illustration of Minocqua
AQI 7
#19MinocquaChecking road route

Wisconsin· Good

Northwoods lake town surrounded by hundreds of lakes, deep in Wisconsin's forest belt, with resorts.

93% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

16.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

93% 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
St. Germain
Cel-shaded illustration of St. Germain
AQI 7
#20St. GermainChecking road route

Wisconsin· Good

Small lake-country Northwoods village amid hundreds of lakes, with resorts and open-water air.

93% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 18 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

16.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Fargo right now

93% 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
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 →

Air quality in nearby cities →
Winnipeg air qualityMinneapolis air qualitySioux Falls air qualityThunder Bay air qualityRapid City air qualityOmaha air qualityDes Moines air qualityRegina air qualityMadison air qualityGreen Bay air qualityRockford air qualityMilwaukee air quality

What this means · Fargo

Moderate

AQI 68

AQI = Air Quality Index

Typical person. Most people can stay active outside.

Kids, seniors, heart or lung conditions. Unusually sensitive people should consider shorter or easier outdoor effort.

The AQI on this page follows fine particles (PM2.5). Particles here are 18 µg/m³ (Polluted), 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 Polluted.

18 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.

5.7/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 18 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 18/22 × 7 = 5.7 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →