ToClearSkies
See current wildfires →
2 cleaner spots within a 3-hour drive

Charlotte is breathing 4.4 cigarettes a week

13.8
PM2.5 µg/m³
60
AQI
5.1
Cleanest in reach · µg/m³
See the 2 cleaner spots

Where are you?

Search covers Canada and the United States.

The better move within a 3-hour drive

Dates

Dates follow you into hotel searches. Live inventory is confirmed by the provider.

Columbia looks like the better move.32% cleaner air with a verified 1 h 50 min road trip. Rankings balance cleaner air with trip ease.

Every town is also available in the ranked list.
Charlotte Clean · PM2.5 0–5 Good · 5–9 Elevated · 9–15 Polluted · 15–35 Unhealthy · 35–55 Severe · 55+
Top pick
Columbia
Cel-shaded illustration of Columbia
#1ColumbiaPM2.5 9.4~1 h 50 min drivesaves 1.4 cigs/wk

South Carolina· PM2.5 9.4 µg/m³

A major South Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.

32% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 9.4 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 9.4/22 × 7 = 3.0 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

4.4 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Charlotte right now

32% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Lake Lure
Cel-shaded illustration of Lake Lure
#2Lake LurePM2.5 12Checking road routesaves 0.6 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 12 µg/m³

Mountain-ringed lake resort in the Hickory Nut Gorge, with open-water air and lakeside lodges.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
13% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Chimney Rock
Cel-shaded illustration of Chimney Rock
#3Chimney RockPM2.5 12Checking road routesaves 0.6 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 12 µg/m³

Village beneath a granite monolith in the Hickory Nut Gorge, a small mountain base with cabins and inns.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
13% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Greensboro
Cel-shaded illustration of Greensboro
#4GreensboroPM2.5 14.3~1 h 45 min drive

North Carolina· PM2.5 14.3 µg/m³

A major North Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 14.3 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 14.3/22 × 7 = 4.5 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
4% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Winston-Salem
Cel-shaded illustration of Winston-Salem
#5Winston-SalemPM2.5 18.6~1 h 35 min drive

North Carolina· PM2.5 18.6 µg/m³

A major North Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 18.6 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 18.6/22 × 7 = 5.9 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

Air is currently worse here than in Charlotte

35% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Tryon
Cel-shaded illustration of Tryon
#6TryonPM2.5 26.2Checking road route

North Carolina· PM2.5 26.2 µg/m³

Foothills equestrian town on the Blue Ridge escarpment, cooler than the Piedmont with inns and B&Bs.

Worse air than home. Don't bother.

PM2.5 is 26.2 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 26.2/22 × 7 = 8.3 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

Air is currently worse here than in Charlotte

90% worse airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 8:12 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Matthews
Cel-shaded illustration of Matthews
#7MatthewsParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 4.4 cigs/wk

North Carolina

North Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Pineville
Cel-shaded illustration of Pineville
#8PinevilleParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 4.4 cigs/wk

North Carolina

North Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Mount Holly
Cel-shaded illustration of Mount Holly
#9Mount HollyParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 4.4 cigs/wk

North Carolina

North Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Belmont
Cel-shaded illustration of Belmont
#10BelmontParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 4.4 cigs/wk

North Carolina

North Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Mint Hill
Cel-shaded illustration of Mint Hill
#11Mint HillParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 4.4 cigs/wk

North Carolina

North Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Harrisburg
Cel-shaded illustration of Harrisburg
#12HarrisburgParticle data unavailableChecking road routesaves 4.4 cigs/wk

North Carolina

North Carolina community with a cached air reading available when it appears in a nearby escape search.

Air comparison pending.

Air comparison pendingChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Durham
Cel-shaded illustration of Durham
#13DurhamPM2.5 10.1~2 h 45 min drivesaves 1.2 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 10.1 µg/m³

A major North Carolina city with broad lodging options and live air-quality readings for comparison when smoke shifts across the region.

27% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 10.1 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 10.1/22 × 7 = 3.2 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

3.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Charlotte right now

27% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Banner Elk
Cel-shaded illustration of Banner Elk
#14Banner ElkPM2.5 11.1Checking road routesaves 0.9 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 11.1 µg/m³

High-country ski town near 3,700 feet between Grandfather and Beech mountains, with cool alpine air.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 11.1 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 11.1/22 × 7 = 3.5 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

2.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Charlotte right now

20% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Black Mountain
Cel-shaded illustration of Black Mountain
#15Black MountainPM2.5 12Checking road routesaves 0.6 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 12 µg/m³

Blue Ridge town just east of Asheville near 2,400 feet, with a walkable center and cool ridge air.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
13% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Hendersonville
Cel-shaded illustration of Hendersonville
#16HendersonvillePM2.5 12Checking road routesaves 0.6 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 12 µg/m³

Blue Ridge foothills town south of Asheville, with orchard country around it and a walkable Main Street of inns.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
13% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Still smoky
Asheville
Cel-shaded illustration of Asheville
#17AshevillePM2.5 12~2 h 35 min drivesaves 0.6 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 12 µg/m³

Blue Ridge mountain city with extensive lodging and higher-elevation air west of Charlotte.

About the same air — still smoky.

PM2.5 is 12 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 12/22 × 7 = 3.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
13% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Chincoteague
Cel-shaded illustration of Chincoteague
#18ChincoteaguePM2.5 5.1Checking road routesaves 2.8 cigs/wk

Virginia· PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³

Barrier-island town beside Assateague's wild beaches on Virginia's Eastern Shore, wrapped by bay and ocean air with plentiful lodging.

63% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.1 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.1/22 × 7 = 1.6 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

8.7 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Charlotte right now

63% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Fort Payne
Cel-shaded illustration of Fort Payne
#19Fort PaynePM2.5 5.5Checking road routesaves 2.6 cigs/wk

Alabama· PM2.5 5.5 µg/m³

DeSoto Canyon-adjacent town in Alabama's Appalachian foothills, higher and cooler than the state's lowlands.

60% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.5 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.5/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

8.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Charlotte right now

60% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Nags Head
Cel-shaded illustration of Nags Head
#20Nags HeadPM2.5 5.5~7 h 5 min drivesaves 2.6 cigs/wk

North Carolina· PM2.5 5.5 µg/m³

Outer Banks beach town on the barrier islands, exposed to constant Atlantic wind, with cottages and hotels along the shore.

60% cleaner than home — pack the car.

PM2.5 is 5.5 µg/m³ here vs 13.8 back home.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at these levels: 5.5/22 × 7 = 1.8 here; 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 at home.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →

8.3 µg/m³ less fine-particle pollution than Charlotte right now

60% cleaner airChecking trip easeChecking nearby staysChecking today's weather

Observed Jul 27, 8:12 p.m. EDT

PM2.5 is modelled for this town — no monitoring station is close enough for a live AQHI.

HotelsRentalsDirections
Bad week ahead? Check the 7-day outlook — if it won’t clear, book the trip

7-day outlook

Plan the next seven days

Pick a day, or compare the whole week. Weather is forecast; air quality is the latest available reading.

Loading the week…

Finding the nicest days and reachable cities.

Observed Jul 27, 7:00 p.m. EDTLast scan Jul 27, 8:27 p.m. EDT · 53 min ago

Why live rankings? Smoke plumes are patchy and shift with the wind, so no direction is reliably cleaner. This list is recalculated from live PM2.5 every hour — and if everything nearby is smoky, it says so.

How we work this out →

Browse all 200 cities by province & state →

All 54 Canadian cities →
TorontoMontréalVancouverCalgaryEdmontonOttawaWinnipegQuébec CityHamiltonKitchener-WaterlooLondonHalifaxVictoriaWindsorOshawaSaskatoonReginaSt. CatharinesKelownaBarrieSherbrookeGuelphAbbotsfordKingstonGreater SudburySaguenayTrois-RivièresMonctonSaint JohnSt. John'sThunder BayPeterboroughLethbridgeNanaimoKamloopsMississaugaBramptonSault Ste. MarieNorth BayWhitehorsePrince GeorgeFort McMurrayMedicine HatFrederictonYellowknifeChilliwackBellevilleBrantfordSurreyLavalMarkhamVaughanBurnabyRichmond
All 145 U.S. cities →
New York CityLos AngelesChicagoHoustonPhoenixPhiladelphiaSan AntonioSan DiegoDallasFort WorthJacksonvilleAustinSan JoseColumbusIndianapolisSan FranciscoSeattleDenverWashington, D.C.NashvilleOklahoma CityBostonPortlandLas VegasDetroitMemphisLouisvilleBaltimoreMilwaukeeAlbuquerqueTucsonFresnoSacramentoAtlantaKansas CityColorado SpringsOmahaRaleighMiamiVirginia BeachMinneapolisTulsaTampaWichitaClevelandNew OrleansPittsburghCincinnatiSt. LouisOrlandoBuffaloSalt Lake CityRichmondBirminghamCharlestonProvidenceHartfordGrand RapidsEugeneBoiseSpokaneMissoulaBillingsBozemanRenoBakersfieldStocktonModestoRiversideSan BernardinoChicoReddingSalemMedfordBendYakimaAnchorageEl PasoAmarilloLubbockLittle RockBaton RougeShreveportJacksonMobileMontgomeryKnoxvilleLexingtonDaytonToledoAkronFort WayneDes MoinesMadisonGreen BayFargoSioux FallsRapid CityAlbanyRochesterSyracuseWorcesterSpringfieldAllentownHarrisburgNorfolkGreensboroWinston-SalemDurhamColumbiaGreenvilleAugustaTallahasseeSarasotaFort MyersSt. PetersburgSpringfieldBoulderFort CollinsProvoOgdenHonoluluCorpus ChristiBellinghamTacomaOlympiaYumaErieScrantonYoungstownCantonPeoriaRockfordTopekaPensacolaLafayetteBeaumontWacoMcAllenLaredoMesaArlingtonAuroraAnaheimHenderson

What this means · Charlotte

Phew.

4.4cigarettes

per week, if this air holds

Act two · The scale

Where today lands

From a crisp horizon to smoke you can taste — here’s your reading on it.

13.8 µg/m³
CrispSome smokeHeavy smoke

Act three · The ladder

What each rung feels like

  • 0–3µg/m³Natural. About as clean as outdoor air realistically gets.
  • 3–5µg/m³Clean. Crisp, destination-worthy air.
  • 5–9µg/m³Good. Clean city air; most people will not notice anything today.
  • 9–15µg/m³Elevated. Usually no big deal today; sensitive lungs may notice hard exercise.
  • 15–35µg/m³Polluted. Smoke or traffic pollution is now worth acting on.
  • 35–55µg/m³Unhealthy. Symptoms become more likely, especially with asthma or heart disease.
  • 55+µg/m³Severe. Everyone should reduce exposure and clean the indoor air.

Act four · The fine print

The receipts

What is PM2.5?

Fine particles about 30× thinner than a human hair — small enough to slip through your lungs and into your bloodstream. We measure them inµg/m³: micrograms of particle mass in a cubic metre of air.

The math

PM2.5 here is 13.8 µg/m³.Berkeley Earth: 22 µg/m³ for 24 h ≈ 1 cigarette.A week at this level: 13.8/22 × 7 = 4.4 cigarettes.A long-term health-risk equivalence, not literal smoking.See how we work it out →
See the full method →