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Wichita air right now

ModerateAQI 53

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

53
AQI now
10.4
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.

Manhattan looks like the better move.46% cleaner air with a verified 2 h 35 min road trip. Rankings balance cleaner air with trip ease.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Wichita Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Emporia
Cel-shaded illustration of Emporia
AQI 31
#1EmporiaChecking road route

Kansas· Good

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

46% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.6 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.6/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4.8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Wichita right now

46% 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
Hutchinson
Cel-shaded illustration of Hutchinson
AQI 48
#2HutchinsonChecking road route

Kansas· Good

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

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 8.6 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 8.6/22 × 7 = 2.7 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
17% 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
Newton
Cel-shaded illustration of Newton
AQI 53
#3NewtonChecking road route

Kansas· Moderate

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

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 10.4 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 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 WHlthDpt monitor.

Directions
Still smoky
Haysville
Cel-shaded illustration of Haysville
AQI unavailable
#4HaysvilleChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Maize
Cel-shaded illustration of Maize
AQI unavailable
#5MaizeChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Derby
Cel-shaded illustration of Derby
AQI unavailable
#6DerbyChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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 Center
Cel-shaded illustration of Valley Center
AQI unavailable
#7Valley CenterChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Andover
Cel-shaded illustration of Andover
AQI unavailable
#8AndoverChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Goddard
Cel-shaded illustration of Goddard
AQI unavailable
#9GoddardChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Rose Hill
Cel-shaded illustration of Rose Hill
AQI unavailable
#10Rose HillChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Mulvane
Cel-shaded illustration of Mulvane
AQI unavailable
#11MulvaneChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Clearwater
Cel-shaded illustration of Clearwater
AQI unavailable
#12ClearwaterChecking road route

Kansas

Kansas 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
Manhattan
Cel-shaded illustration of Manhattan
AQI 31
#13Manhattan~2 h 35 min drive

Kansas· Good

Flint Hills college town with lodging northeast of Wichita and west of Kansas City.

46% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.6 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.6/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4.8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Wichita right now

46% 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
Enid
Cel-shaded illustration of Enid
AQI 52
#14EnidChecking road route

Oklahoma· Moderate

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

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 9.5 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 9.5/22 × 7 = 3.0 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
9% 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
Bartlesville
Cel-shaded illustration of Bartlesville
AQI 54
#15BartlesvilleChecking road route

Oklahoma· Moderate

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

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 10.7 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 10.7/22 × 7 = 3.4 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 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
Stillwater
Cel-shaded illustration of Stillwater
AQI 55
#16StillwaterChecking road route

Oklahoma· Moderate

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

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 11.2 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.2/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 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

Observed Aug 23, 6:27 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is estimated for this town.

Directions
Still smoky
Oklahoma City
Cel-shaded illustration of Oklahoma City
AQI 55
#17Oklahoma City~2 h 50 min drive

Oklahoma· Moderate

A major Oklahoma 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 11.2 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.2/22 × 7 = 3.6 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 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

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

PM2.5 from the Near Road OKC monitor.

Directions
Dumas
Cel-shaded illustration of Dumas
AQI 13
#18DumasChecking road route

Texas· Good

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

77% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 2.4 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 2.4/22 × 7 = 0.8 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

8 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Wichita right now

77% 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
Hermann
Cel-shaded illustration of Hermann
AQI 21
#19HermannChecking road route

Missouri· Good

German wine-country town in the wooded Missouri River hills west of St. Louis, a countryside reset with inns and B&Bs.

63% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 3.8 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 3.8/22 × 7 = 1.2 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

6.6 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Wichita right now

63% 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
Lake Ozark
Cel-shaded illustration of Lake Ozark
AQI 23
#20Lake Ozark~6 h drive

Missouri· Good

Resort hub on the Lake of the Ozarks with a large stock of waterfront hotels and rentals.

61% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 4.1 µg/m³ here vs 10.4 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 4.1/22 × 7 = 1.3 here; 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

6.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Wichita right now

61% 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.

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 Kansas →
Topeka air quality
Air quality in nearby cities →
Tulsa air qualityOklahoma City air qualityKansas City air qualitySpringfield air qualityOmaha air qualityAmarillo air qualityDes Moines air qualityDallas air qualityFort Worth air qualityArlington air qualityLittle Rock air qualityLubbock air quality

What this means · Wichita

Moderate

AQI 53

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 10.4 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.

10.4 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.

3.3/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 10.4 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 10.4/22 × 7 = 3.3 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →