Tukuk-OSAir in Christchurch
Live air quality index · OpenWeather scale 1–5
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Pollutant components in Christchurch right now
| Pollutant | Concentration | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 0.52 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | fine particles under 2.5 μm — they enter the bloodstream; the main haze risk |
| PM10 | 0.94 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | dust & coarse dust — irritates the eyes and throat |
| Ozone (O₃) | 49.42 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | good up in the stratosphere, bad at ground level: formed by heat + traffic |
| Nitrogen dioxide | 0.17 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | diesel exhaust & power plants — a marker of traffic pollution |
| Sulfur dioxide | 0.17 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | smelting & coal plants; also volcanoes |
| Carbon monoxide | 68.99 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | incomplete combustion; dangerous in enclosed spaces |
| Ammonia | 0.5 µg/m³ | ✓ below the WHO 24-hour guideline | livestock farming & fertiliser — rarely an urban problem |
Pollution forecast (3-hour slots)
03:00 · AQI 1 04:00 · AQI 1 05:00 · AQI 1 06:00 · AQI 1 07:00 · AQI 1 08:00 · AQI 1 09:00 · AQI 1 10:00 · AQI 1 11:00 · AQI 1 12:00 · AQI 1 13:00 · AQI 1 14:00 · AQI 1 15:00 · AQI 1 16:00 · AQI 1 17:00 · AQI 1 18:00 · AQI 1
The OpenWeather AQI scale (1–5)
| Band | Health advice |
|---|---|
| 1 · Good | Clean air — fine for every outdoor activity, including exercise and running. |
| 2 · Fair | Acceptable. Very sensitive people (asthma, heart conditions) may notice mild irritation. |
| 3 · Unhealthy for sensitive groups | People with asthma or heart conditions, children and older adults should cut back long outdoor exertion. |
| 4 · Unhealthy | Everyone should limit time outdoors; wear PM2.5 protection if you must go out. |
| 5 · Very unhealthy | Avoid outdoor activity. Keep windows shut and run an air purifier if you have one. |
Why PM2.5 matters in Southeast Asia
PM2.5 is small enough to cross the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream. In this region the cause is seasonal: burning of land and peat to clear plantations (February–October) sends haze across borders into the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak, and the school air index becomes a closure factor. In cities, traffic plus construction dust keeps readings moderate even when the sky looks clear. Surgical masks are far less effective than N95/FFP2 respirators that seal tightly to the face.
Indoor tips
Keeping windows shut at rush hour (6–9 am, 6–9 pm) reduces NO₃ exposure; houseplants do not filter PM2.5 in any meaningful way — a room-sized HEPA filter is far more effective. If the AQI sits in bands 4–5, move outdoor exercise to dawn or late evening, when readings are usually lower.