Air quality
PM2.5, brick kiln smoke, waste burning and the low winter wind that traps all three over the city.
Live readings
Bahawalpur, right now
Pulled from our monitoring stations across the division. Replace the values below with your live API feed when it is ready.
Air quality
0AQI
Unhealthy for sensitive groups
Temperature
0°C
Feels like 44°C
Humidity
0%
Dry, low dust settling
Wind
0km/h
South-west, steady
UV index
0of 11
Very high, 11am–4pm
Rain chance
0%
No monsoon cell nearby
What is in the air here
The dominant pollutant is PM2.5 — particles small enough to reach deep into the lungs. In Bahawalpur it comes from four local sources plus one regional one: waste burning, brick kilns, vehicle exhaust and road dust, crop residue burning in season, and haze transported from further up the plain.
Why winter is worse
Cold air sits still. A temperature inversion puts a lid over the city, wind speed drops, and everything emitted overnight is still there at breakfast. Nothing changes about the sources; the atmosphere simply stops clearing them.
Reading the numbers
- 0–50 Good. No precautions needed.
- 51–100 Moderate. Unusually sensitive people may notice it.
- 101–150 Unhealthy for sensitive groups. Children, older adults and anyone with asthma should ease off outdoor exertion.
- 151–200 Unhealthy. Everyone should reduce prolonged outdoor exertion; sensitive groups should stay in.
- 201+ Very unhealthy. Move exercise indoors, close windows during peak hours, use a mask rated for particulates if you must be out.
General guidance only — for advice about a specific health condition, speak to a doctor.
What reduces it locally
Ending open waste burning is the fastest municipal win. Converting kilns to zigzag firing cuts their emissions substantially. Beyond that: fixing smoky vehicles, paving and sweeping dust-heavy roads, and giving farmers a use for stubble that pays better than a match.