Is the air quality good in Beijing?
As of October 8, 2026, at 2:30 PM CST (GMT+8), air quality in Beijing, China, is unhealthy, with an AQI of 161. PM2.5 is the dominant pollutant, alongside elevated PM10 and an unusually high ozone concentration, which also contribute to poor air quality.
Beijing's average PM2.5 concentration in 2025 was 26.8 µg/m³, corresponding to an AQI of 85, classified as "moderate" and 5.72 times the WHO annual guideline, significantly below today's readings, reflecting an acute autumn-onset pollution episode.
For a complete, real-time view of current pollution levels, see Beijing's air quality map.
Beijing, China, ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of October 8, 2026, at 2:30 PM (local time). Source: IQAir.
Air quality map of Beijing, China, as of October 8, 2026, at 2:30 PM (local time). Source: IQAir.
When will the air quality improve in Beijing?
The hourly forecast shows AQI remaining persistently elevated through the evening before gradually declining toward midnight. The daily forecast indicates conditions will ease gradually through the week before dropping more sharply by next Tuesday as stronger winds arrive and clear accumulated pollution.
Short-term relief depends on these anticipated frontal winds. As October progresses and the coal-fired heating season begins, conditions are likely to deteriorate again with more sustained pollution episodes expected through winter.
Hourly air quality forecast for Beijing, China, as of October 8, 2026, at 2:30 PM (local time). Source: IQAir.
What is causing poor air quality in Beijing?
The four leading local sources of Beijing's PM2.5 are automobiles (31.1%), coal combustion (22.4%), industrial production (18.1%), and construction dust (14.3%), with additional pollution transported from surrounding industrial areas (1).
Today's poor air quality reflects a combination of elevated PM2.5 and PM10 from vehicle emissions, coal combustion, and regional industrial activity in neighboring Hebei, Shandong, and Shanxi provinces, along with an ozone concentration of 160 µg/m³. This reaches the threshold for a severe ozone pollution day identified in Beijing research (2).
Research shows that Beijing's ozone formation potential is significantly higher in autumn than in winter, as warmer temperatures and continued photochemical activity persist into early October. This increases the likelihood of combined PM2.5 and ozone pollution episodes during the transition into winter (3).
How can I protect myself from poor air quality?
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.
