The air quality index from every automatic station of Poland's Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (GIOŚ). Each dot shows the last hour, and the city pages show PM10 and PM2.5 for the whole day.
A forecast of PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide and ozone for more than 1,200 cities on every continent, from NASA's global air quality model. Air quality around the world →
What the colours mean
The Polish index uses results from the last hour. Each pollutant gets its own category and the station shows the worst one. Values in µg/m³:
Index
PM10
PM2.5
O₃
NO₂
SO₂
Very good
0 - 20
0 - 13
0 - 70
0 - 40
0 - 50
Good
20.1 - 50
13.1 - 35
70.1 - 120
40.1 - 100
50.1 - 100
Moderate
50.1 - 80
35.1 - 55
120.1 - 150
100.1 - 150
100.1 - 200
Sufficient
80.1 - 110
55.1 - 75
150.1 - 180
150.1 - 230
200.1 - 350
Bad
110.1 - 150
75.1 - 110
180.1 - 240
230.1 - 400
350.1 - 500
Very bad
> 150
> 110
> 240
> 400
> 500
Very good. The air is clean. Walk, run and air out your home without worry.
Good. The air is fine. The health risk is low, no need to change your plans.
Moderate. Air quality is acceptable, but people who are ill, older adults, pregnant women and small children may feel it.
Sufficient. The air can be harmful. Sensitive people should spend less time outside, and everyone should skip long, hard exercise.
Bad. The air is bad. Sensitive people should stay indoors and everyone else should keep outdoor activity to a minimum.
Very bad. The air is very bad. Go out only if you have to and skip any outdoor workout today.
Particle limits: when is there a smog alert
Poland's information threshold for PM10 is 100 µg/m³ and the alert threshold is 150 µg/m³, both as a 24-hour average. When they are exceeded, the regional governor issues a public warning.
The World Health Organization (2021 guidelines) recommends a 24-hour average of no more than 45 µg/m³ for PM10 and 15 µg/m³ for PM2.5. On the city pages we compare the last 24 hours with these values.
PM2.5 is the finest dust, small enough to reach deep into the lungs and the bloodstream. In Polish winters it comes mostly from home stoves and fireplaces, and in big cities also from traffic.
FAQ
Where does the smog data come from?
From Poland's State Environmental Monitoring, run by the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (GIOŚ). We only use automatic stations, which report every hour. The data is current and not yet verified, so GIOŚ may correct it later.
How often is the map updated?
Every 30 minutes. GIOŚ calculates the index about 20 minutes past the hour, so the result usually describes the previous hour.
What is the air quality index?
A rating in six categories, from very good to very bad. It is based on PM10, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and sulphur dioxide. A station gets the category of its worst pollutant.
What does a grey dot (no index) mean?
The station does not measure the pollutant that currently decides air quality in its region. In autumn and winter that is usually dust, in spring and summer ozone. Other results from the station are still available.
When is smog at its worst in Poland?
From October to March, on cold, still evenings and nights, when chimney smoke stays close to the ground. Wind and rain usually clear it quickly.
Data source: GIOŚ - EKOINFONET. Current data, not yet verified.
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