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Washington, DC Air Quality Index (AQI) Today

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Right now: Washington is at 54, moderate.

Is the air safe to breathe in Washington today?

54 54Moderate “Unhealthy for everyone” starts at 151 — not 201.

Go

Normal outdoor plans. No change needed.

Short & unloaded

A 20-minute dog walk, not a 2.5-hour run. Keep it brief and easy.

Don’t go

Move it indoors. Above 200 that becomes everyone, not just sensitive groups.

Duration and intensity are two separate dials

Verdict by duration and intensity at AQI 54
Under 20 min20–60 minOver an hour
Easy Go Go Go
Moderate Go Go Go
Hard Go Go Go

Where people actually draw the line

All the thresholds people reported, and who reported them
  • 60 Asthmatic runnerone runner’s own 156-run log
  • 75–100 Daycare / schoolWA 75/80, MN 100 — confirmed; most states not studied
  • 100 Parentcommunity-reported, escalating at 150 and 200
  • 110 Runnercommunity-reported

EPA classifies 101–150 as Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. That is an attributed classification, not a verdict on your lungs specifically.

If you’re staying in, filter the room you’re actually in

A portable HEPA unit or a Corsi-Rosenthal box — one builder put theirs at about $130 for a 12×14 bedroom. We don’t default to a MERV-13 swap in whole-house HVAC: it can restrict airflow, and the safe version needs a static-pressure check first.

See options

Dominant pollutant

PM2.5

UV index

— modelled

UV hour by hour in Washington →

Forecast

— pipeline

Where this number sits

Of the 114 US metros reporting to us right now, Washington is number 39 . The pollutant driving it today is PM2.5.

Nearby metros we also measure, and what they read at the same hour:

  • Baltimore, MD — 35 miles away, AQI 48
  • Frederick, MD — 40 miles away, AQI 32
  • Dover, DE — 84 miles away, AQI 38
  • Richmond, VA — 96 miles away, AQI 51

Why a metro a short drive away reads differently →

No written guide for Washington yet — that comes when we have something specific to say about this metro. How we measure →

Where this reading comes from

Northern Virginia and DC, about miles from the metro centre, with nearby sensors.

Our history for Washington so far

Daily maximum, our own readings. 1 day since 2026-08-16; nothing back-filled. Why we keep our own →

0 of the 1 day we have recorded so far went above AQI 100.

Questions about Washington

What is the air quality in Washington right now?

AQI 54 — Moderate. That is number 39 of the 114 US metros reporting to us at this hour.

Which monitor does this number come from?

Northern Virginia and DC. One instrument reports for the whole metro, so the side farthest from it is the least well described.

How does Washington compare with metros nearby?

At this hour: Baltimore 48, Frederick 32, Dover 38, Richmond 51. A gap that size over that distance usually means different terrain, traffic or wind rather than a broken sensor.

Does this include pollen?

No. The AQI covers PM2.5, PM10, ozone, NO₂, SO₂ and CO. A high-pollen day can read clean here and still put someone in bed. UV is also separate — Washington's UV index.

What the number means, band by band → · Why apps disagree →

Worst air in the US right nowWhere Washington sits against 27 other metros, this hour What the number meansEPA bands, and where “unhealthy for everyone” starts

Updated