City Guide

Los Angeles AQI planning guide

People in Los Angeles often care less about a single number in isolation and more about whether today's reading changes a drive, a run, or a smoke-season routine.

Start with AQI 105Read the AQI detail page

Planning AQI

105

Berkeley Earth 24-hour comparison

1.69

cigarette-equivalents per day

Category

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

Live AQI and forecast

The live API was unavailable, rate-limited, or returned no usable data. The planning baseline is shown separately and is not a current reading.

Static fallback

Fallback planning baseline

105

Planning baseline: about 1.69 cigarettes per 24h

Peak concern season

Aug-Oct

Wildfire smoke and heat-driven ozone create the biggest day-changing swings.

Repeat-use trigger

Commute + exercise

Morning commutes and afternoon workouts often need separate decisions.

Indoor priority

Bedroom air

When smoke lingers overnight, cleaner sleep air matters more than one daytime reading.

Upcoming forecast

Late summer and fall wildfire smoke can change the whole planning baseline in a few hours.

Source note: Live AirNow readings usually reflect the broader metro area well, but traffic corridors and foothill neighborhoods can still feel harsher than the citywide number.

What to do now in Los Angeles

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

Updated Oct 8, 4:26 PM UTC

Using fallback planning baseline

AQI 105

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

About 1.69 cigarettes per 24h at this reading.

Longer outdoor exposure can meaningfully increase dose, especially for sensitive groups.

Move exercise indoors or shorten it substantially.
Use a well-fitted N95 if you must spend time outdoors.
Run HEPA filtration or create one cleaner indoor room.

Common planning patterns

Hot afternoons can turn a manageable morning into a worse outdoor window later in the day.
Traffic corridors can feel harsher than the city-wide average.
Wildfire smoke changes the decision from routine pollution management to indoor-air protection.

City planning checklist

  • Check AQI before exercise, not just before commuting.
  • Keep one mask in the car and one at home during smoke season.
  • Use indoor filtration proactively when smoke is forecast nearby.

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.

Wildfire smoke response plan

Use AQI to decide when normal air-quality habits are not enough and smoke response should begin.