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Phoenix air right now

GoodAQI 36

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

36
AQI now
6.5
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.

Tucson looks like the better move.69% cleaner air with a verified 2 h 5 min road trip. Rankings balance cleaner air with trip ease.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Phoenix Local readings Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Mesa
Cel-shaded illustration of Mesa
AQI 26
#1MesaChecking road route

Arizona· Good

A major Arizona 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 4.6 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4.6/22 × 7 = 1.5 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
29% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Mesa - Brooks Reservoir monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Wickenburg
Cel-shaded illustration of Wickenburg
AQI 37
#2WickenburgChecking road route

Arizona· Good

Old dude-ranch town northwest of Phoenix on the Hassayampa River, a desert-basin escape with resorts.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 6.7 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 6.7/22 × 7 = 2.1 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
3% worse 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
Payson
Cel-shaded illustration of Payson
AQI 44
#3Payson~1 h 45 min drive

Arizona· Good

Rim Country town beneath the Mogollon Rim near 5,000 feet, a forested escape from Phoenix heat and haze, with motels and cabins.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 8 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 8/22 × 7 = 2.5 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
23% worse 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
Guadalupe
Cel-shaded illustration of Guadalupe
AQI unavailable
#4GuadalupeChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Glendale
Cel-shaded illustration of Glendale
AQI unavailable
#5GlendaleChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Ahwatukee Foothills
Cel-shaded illustration of Ahwatukee Foothills
AQI unavailable
#6Ahwatukee FoothillsChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Paradise Valley
Cel-shaded illustration of Paradise Valley
AQI unavailable
#7Paradise ValleyChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Tempe
Cel-shaded illustration of Tempe
AQI unavailable
#8TempeChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Tolleson
Cel-shaded illustration of Tolleson
AQI unavailable
#9TollesonChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Scottsdale
Cel-shaded illustration of Scottsdale
AQI unavailable
#10ScottsdaleChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Peoria
Cel-shaded illustration of Peoria
AQI unavailable
#11PeoriaChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Mesa
Cel-shaded illustration of Mesa
AQI unavailable
#12MesaChecking road route

Arizona

Arizona 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
Tucson
Cel-shaded illustration of Tucson
AQI 11
#13Tucson~2 h 5 min drive

Arizona· Good

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

69% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 2 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 2/22 × 7 = 0.6 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4.5 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Phoenix right now

69% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

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

PM2.5 from the Geronimo monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Prescott
Cel-shaded illustration of Prescott
AQI 23
#14Prescott~2 h 5 min drive

Arizona· Good

Mile-high mountain town in central Arizona's pine country, cooler and clearer than the desert below, with historic hotels and B&Bs.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 4.2 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4.2/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Phoenix right now

35% 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
Flagstaff
Cel-shaded illustration of Flagstaff
AQI 24
#15Flagstaff~2 h 35 min drive

Arizona· Good

Ponderosa-pine mountain city near 7,000 feet on the Colorado Plateau, where elevation keeps summer air cool and clear, with plentiful lodging.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 4.3 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4.3/22 × 7 = 1.4 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 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 Phoenix right now

34% 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
Sedona
Cel-shaded illustration of Sedona
AQI 32
#16Sedona~2 h 15 min drive

Arizona· Good

Red-rock town in Arizona's high desert at 4,300 feet, ringed by canyon country well above Phoenix, with resorts and inns.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 5.7 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.7/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
12% 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
Jerome
Cel-shaded illustration of Jerome
AQI 33
#17Jerome~2 h 15 min drive

Arizona· Good

Former mining town clinging to Cleopatra Hill above the Verde Valley, a breezy high-perch escape with historic inns.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 6 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 6/22 × 7 = 1.9 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
8% 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
Jemez Springs
Cel-shaded illustration of Jemez Springs
AQI 7
#18Jemez SpringsChecking road route

New Mexico· Good

Hot-springs village in a red-rock canyon of the Jemez Mountains, cooler and clearer than Albuquerque.

80% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.3 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.3/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

5.2 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Phoenix right now

80% 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
Cortez
Cel-shaded illustration of Cortez
AQI 8
#19CortezChecking road route

Colorado· Good

Gateway town to Mesa Verde near 6,200 feet in southwest Colorado, with dry high-plateau air.

78% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.4 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.4/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

5.1 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Phoenix right now

78% 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
Torrey
Cel-shaded illustration of Torrey
AQI 8
#20TorreyChecking road route

Utah· Good

Red-rock town near 6,800 feet at Capitol Reef's doorstep, well above the desert basin with cool evenings.

78% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 1.4 µg/m³ here vs 6.5 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 1.4/22 × 7 = 0.4 here; 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

5.1 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Phoenix right now

78% 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 →

More air-quality pages in Arizona →
Mesa air qualityTucson air qualityYuma air quality
Air quality in nearby cities →
Henderson air qualityLas Vegas air qualitySan Diego air qualitySan Bernardino air qualityRiverside air qualityAlbuquerque air qualityAnaheim air qualityEl Paso air qualityLos Angeles air qualityBakersfield air qualityProvo air qualityFresno air quality

What this means · Phoenix

Good

AQI 36

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 6.5 µg/m³ (Good), 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 Good.

6.5 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.

2.1/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 6.5 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 6.5/22 × 7 = 2.1 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →