Navoi air quality hazardous (AQI 362); Samarkand and three other cities unhealthy
This morning, 5 November, Uzhydromet station data (via WAQI) at 07:41 show polluted air in several cities. Navoi has the highest reading, an AQI of 362, which falls in the top "hazardous" category. Samarkand is at 173, Gulistan at 154, Jizzakh at 153 and Nukus at 151, which is unhealthy for everyone. Qarshi (137) and Bukhara (119) are unhealthy for sensitive groups. Tashkent is at 94 right now, with a 12-hour average of 110. It rose to 163 around 22:00–23:00 last night. The air is much cleaner in Fergana (55), Termez (54), Namangan (36) and Andijan (3).
Officials have not yet named a cause for today's pollution. Uzhydromet's latest Ecological Bulletin was updated on 30 October, and its forecast only runs to 2 November. The bulletin's general explanation: in autumn and winter, temperature inversions, weak wind and a lack of rain or snow keep smoke and dust low over cities, while wind and rain clear them. Right now the weather fits that pattern. Wind is 1.0 m/s in Jizzakh, 1.1 m/s in Tashkent and 1.6 m/s in Samarkand, humidity is above 90% in many cities, and skies are clear. The MET Norway forecast shows little or no rain in most cities until 9 November. That day, rain of 11.2 mm is possible in Samarkand, 7.1 mm in Navoi and 4.2 mm in Tashkent, which may improve the air.
A note on the two indexes: AQI is the US EPA index and shows current air quality. The bulletin's AII is a separate Uzbek index based on daily data, so the two numbers cannot be compared directly.
Who should be careful and what to do
Children, older people, pregnant women, and people with asthma, lung or heart problems should take extra care.
In Navoi, Samarkand, Gulistan, Jizzakh and Nukus, wear an N95 or FFP2 mask outdoors. Cut back on running and outdoor exercise. Air is usually worse in the evening and at night, so keep windows shut at those hours. Use an air purifier if you have one.
For tourists: plan longer walks for daytime hours and choose museums and other indoor sights more often. If you feel unwell, 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.