Unhealthy air in Gulistan and Namangan (AQI 182, 180); Tashkent hit 245 overnight
Air quality is poor in several Uzbek cities this morning, 4 November. Uzhydromet station readings at 05:05 (via WAQI, US EPA AQI) show the highest levels in Gulistan (182) and Namangan (180). That is in the “unhealthy” range (151–200). Other cities: Nukus 149, Samarkand 142, Jizzakh 138, Qarshi 119, Navoi 111. Fergana (13) and Andijan (44) have clean air.
In Tashkent, the 12-hour average AQI was 172. The reading climbed to 245 overnight, then fell, and the latest measurement was 87.
Officials have not yet named a cause for the current pollution. Uzhydromet's latest ecological bulletin was updated on 30 October. It forecast low pollution for 31 October to 2 November, and no newer bulletin has been published yet. The agency explains that in autumn and winter, a temperature inversion (warm air above trapping cold air near the ground), weak wind and no rain or snow keep smoke and dust low over cities. Wind and rain clear them away. Winds are light now: 2.1 m/s in Gulistan, 2.5 m/s in Namangan and 3.1 m/s in Tashkent. The bulletin's AII is Uzbekistan's own pollution index. It uses a different scale from AQI, so numbers from the two indexes cannot be compared directly.
According to the MET Norway forecast, rain is expected today in Samarkand (5.1 mm), Tashkent (1.8 mm), Jizzakh (1.4 mm) and Gulistan (1.3 mm). This may help clear the air. Namangan should see rain on 5 November (1.9 mm), but Nukus not until 7 November (2.4 mm).
Who should be careful and what to do
Children, older people, pregnant women and people with asthma, lung or heart conditions should take extra care.
Wear an N95 or FFP2 mask outdoors. Cut back on running and outdoor sports. Keep windows shut in the evening and at night, when readings were highest. Check the AQI before going out.
Tourists in the affected cities may prefer museums and indoor sights. Conditions should improve with rain and stronger wind. If you feel short of breath or have chest pain, see a doctor.
Sources
uzbekai.com wrote this article with the help of AI, from our own readings, the forecast and official sources. If you see a mistake, tell us through the Help page.