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Kitchener-Waterloo air right now

Low riskAQHI 1

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

1
AQHI now
3
PM2.5 · µg/m³
Look farther for cleaner air

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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.
Kitchener-Waterloo Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Thornbury
Cel-shaded illustration of Thornbury
AQI 2
#1ThornburyChecking road route

Ontario· Good

Georgian Bay apple-country village near Collingwood, with a walkable harbourfront and bay air.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.3 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.3/22 × 7 = 0.1 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo right now

90% 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
Still smoky
Meaford
Cel-shaded illustration of Meaford
AQI 3
#2MeafordChecking road route

Ontario· Good

Georgian Bay orchard town near Collingwood, with bay-air exposure and a walkable harbourfront.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.5 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.5/22 × 7 = 0.2 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.5 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Kitchener-Waterloo right now

83% 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
Still smoky
Owen Sound
Cel-shaded illustration of Owen Sound
AQI 3
#3Owen SoundChecking road route

Ontario· Good

Georgian Bay port city at the base of the Bruce Peninsula, with bay air and a broad hotel base.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.5 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.5/22 × 7 = 0.2 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.5 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Kitchener-Waterloo right now

83% 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
Still smoky
Port Dover
Cel-shaded illustration of Port Dover
AQI 9
#4Port Dover~1 h 35 min drive

Ontario· Good

Lake Erie beach town with a palm-tree pier vibe and steady south-shore lake air.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 1.7 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.7/22 × 7 = 0.5 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
43% 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
Turkey Point
Cel-shaded illustration of Turkey Point
AQI 9
#5Turkey Point~1 h 45 min drive

Ontario· Good

Low-key Lake Erie cottage beach beside marshes and vineyards, far from major highways.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 1.7 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.7/22 × 7 = 0.5 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
43% 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
Stratford
Cel-shaded illustration of Stratford
AQI 17
#6Stratford~50 min drive

Ontario· Good

Festival town on the Avon River with a deep stock of inns and B&Bs.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 3 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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

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

PM2.5 from the Kitchener monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Fergus
Cel-shaded illustration of Fergus
AQHI 1
#7FergusChecking road route

Ontario· Low risk

Stone-built Grand River village beside Elora, a quiet countryside base with heritage inns.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
33% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Guelph station)

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

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

Directions
Still smoky
Guelph
Cel-shaded illustration of Guelph
AQHI 1
#8Guelph~30 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 4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
33% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Guelph station)

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

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

Directions
Still smoky
Brantford
Cel-shaded illustration of Brantford
AQHI 1
#9BrantfordChecking 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.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
33% 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
Elora
Cel-shaded illustration of Elora
AQI 22
#10Elora~35 min drive

Ontario· Good

Limestone village above the Elora Gorge, with a boutique mill hotel and quarry swimming.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
33% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

AQHI 1: Low risk (Guelph station)

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

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

Directions
Still smoky
Hamilton
Cel-shaded illustration of Hamilton
AQHI 1
#11Hamilton~1 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.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
33% 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
#12Mississauga~1 h 10 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 4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
33% 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
Lion's Head
Cel-shaded illustration of Lion's Head
AQI 0
#13Lion'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 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0/22 × 7 = 0 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo 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
Still smoky
Collingwood
Cel-shaded illustration of Collingwood
AQI 2
#14Collingwood~2 h 30 min drive

Ontario· Good

Georgian Bay harbour town at the base of the Niagara Escarpment, with bay breezes and plenty of hotels and rentals.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.3 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.3/22 × 7 = 0.1 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo right now

90% 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
Honey Harbour
Cel-shaded illustration of Honey Harbour
AQI 2
#15Honey HarbourChecking road route

Ontario· Good

Gateway to Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, with open-bay air and marina-side lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.3 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.3/22 × 7 = 0.1 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo right now

90% 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
Still smoky
The Blue Mountains
Cel-shaded illustration of The Blue Mountains
AQI 2
#16The Blue Mountains~2 h 35 min drive

Ontario· Good

Resort village on Georgian Bay with escarpment elevation, a walkable pedestrian base and year-round lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.3 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.3/22 × 7 = 0.1 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo right now

90% 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
Wiarton
Cel-shaded illustration of Wiarton
AQI 2
#17WiartonChecking road route

Ontario· Good

Bruce Peninsula harbour town on Colpoys Bay, with Georgian Bay air and small-town lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.4 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.4/22 × 7 = 0.1 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo right now

87% 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
#18Killarney~6 h 45 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 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0/22 × 7 = 0 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo 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
#19Little Current (Manitoulin Island)~7 h 55 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 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0/22 × 7 = 0 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 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 Kitchener-Waterloo 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
Still smoky
Midland
Cel-shaded illustration of Midland
AQI 1
#20Midland~3 h drive

Ontario· Good

Harbour town on Georgian Bay’s 30,000 Islands shore, with bay cruises and shoreline trails.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 0.2 µg/m³ here vs 3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.2/22 × 7 = 0.1 here; 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Kitchener-Waterloo 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
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.

AQHI 1: Low risk (Kitchener)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 Ontario →
Barrie air qualityBelleville air qualityBrampton air qualityBrantford air qualityGreater Sudbury air qualityGuelph air qualityHamilton air qualityKingston air qualityLondon air qualityMarkham air qualityMississauga air qualityNorth Bay air qualityOshawa air qualityOttawa air qualityPeterborough air qualitySault Ste. Marie air qualitySt. Catharines air qualityThunder Bay air qualityToronto air qualityVaughan air qualityWindsor air quality
Air quality in nearby cities →
Buffalo air qualityErie air qualityRochester air qualityCleveland air qualityDetroit air qualityYoungstown air qualityAkron air qualityCanton air qualityToledo air qualityPittsburgh air qualitySyracuse air qualityGrand Rapids air quality

What this means · Kitchener-Waterloo

Low risk

AQHI 1

AQHI = Air Quality Health Index

Typical person. Ideal air for usual outdoor plans.

Kids, seniors, heart or lung conditions. People with heart or lung conditions can usually keep their normal outdoor routine.

Particles here are 3 µg/m³ (Clean).

Act two · Fine particles only

Where PM2.5 lands

This bar is smoke and fine particles (PM2.5) only — not the full AQHI mix. Left is cleaner air; right is heavier particle pollution. Today's particles sit in Clean.

3 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 AQHI.

1.0/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 3 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →