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Minneapolis air right now

ModerateAQI 55

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

55
AQI now
11.3
PM2.5 · µg/m³
2 cleaner spots 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.

Duluth looks like the better move.73% cleaner air with a verified 2 h 55 min road trip. Rankings balance cleaner air with trip ease.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Minneapolis Local readings Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Rochester
Cel-shaded illustration of Rochester
AQI 52
#1Rochester~1 h 55 min drive

Minnesota· Moderate

Southern Minnesota city with a large hotel inventory and a separate live air-quality reading from Minneapolis.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 9.5 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 9.5/22 × 7 = 3.0 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
16% 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
Saint Cloud
Cel-shaded illustration of Saint Cloud
AQI 54
#2Saint CloudChecking road route

Minnesota· Moderate

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

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 10.7 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 10.7/22 × 7 = 3.4 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
5% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the St. Cloud monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Stillwater
Cel-shaded illustration of Stillwater
AQI 55
#3Stillwater~35 min drive

Minnesota· Moderate

Historic river town on the St. Croix just east of the Twin Cities, set in a wooded valley with inns and B&Bs.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.2 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.2/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
1% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the St. Paul-Harding H.S. monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Saint Paul
Cel-shaded illustration of Saint Paul
AQI unavailable
#4Saint PaulChecking 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
Mendota Heights
Cel-shaded illustration of Mendota Heights
AQI unavailable
#5Mendota HeightsChecking 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
Minnetonka Mills
Cel-shaded illustration of Minnetonka Mills
AQI unavailable
#6Minnetonka MillsChecking 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
West Saint Paul
Cel-shaded illustration of West Saint Paul
AQI unavailable
#7West Saint PaulChecking 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
Shoreview
Cel-shaded illustration of Shoreview
AQI unavailable
#8ShoreviewChecking 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
Brooklyn Park
Cel-shaded illustration of Brooklyn Park
AQI unavailable
#9Brooklyn ParkChecking 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
Mounds View
Cel-shaded illustration of Mounds View
AQI unavailable
#10Mounds ViewChecking 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
Little Canada
Cel-shaded illustration of Little Canada
AQI unavailable
#11Little CanadaChecking 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
Plymouth
Cel-shaded illustration of Plymouth
AQI unavailable
#12PlymouthChecking 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
Hayward
Cel-shaded illustration of Hayward
AQI 12
#13HaywardChecking road route

Wisconsin· Good

Northwoods fishing town near the Chequamegon forest, far from cities, with lodges and lake air.

81% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 2.1 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 2.1/22 × 7 = 0.7 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

9.2 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

81% 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
Duluth
Cel-shaded illustration of Duluth
AQI 17
#14Duluth~2 h 55 min drive

Minnesota· Good

Lake Superior port with shoreline hotels and air shaped by the world’s largest freshwater lake.

73% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 3 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 3/22 × 7 = 1.0 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

8.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

73% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Duluth-WDSE 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.

49% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.8 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.8/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

5.5 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

49% 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
#16Brainerd~2 h 35 min drive

Minnesota· Good

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

39% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 6.9 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 6.9/22 × 7 = 2.2 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4.4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

39% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Brainerd monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Sandstone
Cel-shaded illustration of Sandstone
AQI unavailable
#17SandstoneChecking 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
Ludington
Cel-shaded illustration of Ludington
AQI 4
#18LudingtonChecking road route

Michigan· Good

Lake Michigan port town with a long public beach, swept by onshore lake wind, with harborside inns.

94% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0.7 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.7/22 × 7 = 0.2 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.6 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

94% 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
Leland
Cel-shaded illustration of Leland
AQI 4
#19LelandChecking road route

Michigan· Good

Historic Fishtown harbor village on the Leelanau Peninsula, cooled by Lake Michigan air, with inns.

94% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0.7 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.7/22 × 7 = 0.2 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.6 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

94% 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
Suttons Bay
Cel-shaded illustration of Suttons Bay
AQI 4
#20Suttons BayChecking road route

Michigan· Good

Leelanau Peninsula wine-country village on Grand Traverse Bay, with open-bay air and small inns.

94% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 0.7 µg/m³ here vs 11.3 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 0.7/22 × 7 = 0.2 here; 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

10.6 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Minneapolis right now

94% 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 →
Sioux Falls air qualityFargo air qualityMadison air qualityDes Moines air qualityGreen Bay air qualityRockford air qualityOmaha air qualityMilwaukee air qualityThunder Bay air qualityPeoria air qualityChicago air qualityWinnipeg air quality

What this means · Minneapolis

Moderate

AQI 55

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 11.3 µg/m³ (Elevated), 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 Elevated.

11.3 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 AQI.

3.6/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 11.3 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 11.3/22 × 7 = 3.6 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →