City Guide

Seattle AQI planning guide

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

Start with AQI 120Read the AQI detail page

Planning AQI

120

24-hour equivalent

1.96

cigarettes per day

Category

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

Live AQI and forecast

Live readings and forecasts come from the US EPA AirNow network. Forecasts are useful for planning, but local smoke shifts can still change conditions quickly.

AirNow

Current reading

36

Good

Seattle-Bellevue-Kent Valley, WA • 2026-04-15 15:00 PST

Planning baseline

AQI 120

Use AQI 120 as a familiar starting point when you compare today with a routine or cautionary day.

Live layer

AirNow + fallback

Current observations improve the page when available, but the planning layer still works if the API is slow or unavailable.

Useful scenarios

3

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

Upcoming forecast

2026-04-15

AQI 28

Good

For Apr 13-20 (Mon-Mon): We'll have mostly GOOD air quality throughout the Sound this week and weekend. Through Wednesday we'll see mild temperatures, clouds, and rain. A bit of sun will return on Thu and Fri, but clouds and a chance of rain will return Saturday and into next week.

2026-04-16

AQI 28

Good

For Apr 13-20 (Mon-Mon): We'll have mostly GOOD air quality throughout the Sound this week and weekend. Through Wednesday we'll see mild temperatures, clouds, and rain. A bit of sun will return on Thu and Fri, but clouds and a chance of rain will return Saturday and into next week.

2026-04-17

AQI 28

Good

For Apr 13-20 (Mon-Mon): We'll have mostly GOOD air quality throughout the Sound this week and weekend. Through Wednesday we'll see mild temperatures, clouds, and rain. A bit of sun will return on Thu and Fri, but clouds and a chance of rain will return Saturday and into next week.

Source note: This page uses AirNow when current coverage is available and falls back to a planning baseline if live data fails.

What to do now in Seattle

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

Updated Apr 15, 11:13 PM UTC

Using live AQI

AQI 36

Good

About 0.39 cigarettes per 24h at this reading.

Short outdoor activity is generally low risk when AQI stays in this range.

Proceed with normal outdoor activity.
Use the day to ventilate and prepare before worse conditions arrive.
Check tomorrow's forecast if wildfire smoke or inversion is developing.

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

Kids and school exposure guide

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

Wildfire smoke response plan

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

Outdoor exercise risk guide

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