AQI Numbers Explained: What 150, 300 and 500 Mean for Your Day (Video)

2:44 min

Read the full written guide: AQI Numbers Explained: What 150, 300 and 500 Mean for Your Day →

Learn how the Air Quality Index translates messy pollution data into a single number and what each band means for walks, school runs, and open windows. We break down the numbers, explain why apps can disagree, and give practical tips for staying comfortable.

This video offers everyday guidance, not medical advice, so you can plan your day around the air you breathe. For the full story, read the post on thecareonline.com.

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Transcript

What does an AQI of 150 really mean for your day?

What does an AQI of 150 really mean for your day?

AQI Numbers Explained

Ever wonder what an AQI of 150 or 300 really means for your day? Stay tuned for the single tip that will keep you breathing easy.

What AQI Measures

Think of AQI as a thermometer for the air. It pulls real measurements, mostly PM2.5, plus PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, converts each to a 0-500 scale, and shows the worst pollutant at the moment.

AQI Bands At a Glance

The US-EPA scale runs from zero to five hundred. Below fifty is good for everyone. Fifty-one to one hundred is moderate, okay for most. One-hundred-one to one-fifty harms sensitive groups. Above one-hundred-fifty becomes unhealthy for all, and above three hundred is hazardous.

How to Plan Your Day

Check the AQI before you head out. Morning walks often hit peak numbers, so keep them short or indoor. Midday, when the sun warms the air, usually drops to moderate. Evening spikes return as traffic and cooking fumes mix, so close windows before sunset.

Why Apps Differ

Phones side by side can read 180 and 260. Sensors differ, stations use instruments, many apps rooftop lasers. Location matters; a road sensor reads higher than a park a few kilometres away. Apps show hour or a 24-hour mean. Scales differ, US-style versus national numbers.

Cut outdoor effort

When the AQI hits 150, the air moves into the unhealthy range for everyone. That’s the cue to shorten or move outdoor exercise indoors, especially for kids and older adults.

Hazardous air

At 300, the AQI is labeled hazardous. Breathing hard becomes risky, so stay inside, keep windows shut, and use air filtration if you can for your family.

The one tip to keep safe

The single habit that makes the biggest difference is to check the AQI right before you step outside and adjust your plans accordingly, shorten walks, shift them to midday, or stay indoors when it’s above 150.

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Read the full guide

The full guide is on thecareonline.com. General information only, so check with your doctor for your own case.

Nothing on The Care Online is medical advice. Traditional practices are described as tradition, not as fact. Take a persistent or serious concern to a qualified professional. See how videos and posts are made on our methodology page.