City Guide

Beijing AQI planning guide

Beijing decisions are usually about whether today is routine, cautionary, or strong enough to change the plan for the next few hours.

Start with AQI 160Read the AQI detail page

Planning AQI

160

24-hour equivalent

3.32

cigarettes per day

Category

Unhealthy

Live AQI and forecast

Live AirNow coverage is strongest for the US, Canada, and parts of Mexico. This page falls back to the city planning baseline outside that footprint.

Static fallback

Fallback planning baseline

160

Planning baseline: about 3.32 cigarettes per 24h

Planning baseline

AQI 160

Use AQI 160 as a familiar starting point when you compare today with a routine or cautionary day.

Live layer

Fallback baseline

The page stays usable without live data by keeping the decision support tied to a repeat-use baseline.

Useful scenarios

3

These are the scenario pages most likely to matter when the reading changes your plan.

Upcoming forecast

Watch for seasonal shifts, smoke intrusions, and any pollution pattern that turns a normal day into a protection day.

Source note: This page uses a structured planning baseline when live AirNow coverage is not available for the city.

What to do now in Beijing

This decision block uses the latest live value when available, otherwise the city planning baseline.

Updated Mar 19, 12:22 AM UTC

Using fallback planning baseline

AQI 160

Unhealthy

About 3.32 cigarettes per 24h at this reading.

Outdoor dose rises fast in this band, especially if windows are open or activity is strenuous.

Cancel outdoor workouts, long walks, and open-window ventilation.
Use a quality mask outdoors and keep trips short.
Prioritize clean indoor air with HEPA filtration and closed windows.

Common planning patterns

Repeated exposure matters more than one isolated check when poor air is part of the weekly routine.
Rechecking later in the day is often as important as the first reading, especially when smoke or traffic patterns shift.
Indoor air becomes a bigger part of the decision once the city stays elevated for hours or overnight.

City planning checklist

  • Recheck before the longest or most exposed part of the day, not just once in the morning.
  • Use the linked scenario pages when the reading changes a commute, workout, or family routine.
  • Protect the indoor space that matters most first, especially sleeping or work-from-home rooms.

Useful next pages for this city

These linked pages answer the kinds of follow-up questions people usually have after checking the reading.

Browse more city guides

Commute exposure planner

Use AQI to decide whether a daily commute is routine, cautionary, or worth changing.

Outdoor exercise risk guide

Translate AQI into a clear decision for running, cycling, or training outside.

Kids and school exposure guide

Plan school runs, recess, and after-school time when children are more sensitive than adults.