Is the air quality good in Central Europe?
On January 22, 2026, air quality across much of Central Europe is poor, with many locations recording AQI levels ranging from moderate to very unhealthy due to elevated concentrations of PM2.5.
By 7:30 AM Pacific Time (PT), cities like Kraków and Warsaw, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic, Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Munich and Berlin German among the top 30 most polluted major cities in the world.
Air quality in some Central European cities tends to be poorer in winter than the rest of the year, due in part to household heating methods. For example, Warsaw's monthly average concentration of PM2.5 in January 2024 was 18.1 µg/m³, on par with similar concentrations of 18.4 µg/m³ in November and 18.1 µg/m³ in December. However, PM2.5 concentrations from May through August ranged from 6.9 to 9.4 µg/m³.
Air quality map of Central Europe as of 7:30 AM (PT) on January 22, 2026. Source: IQAir.
Which cities are affected by bad air quality in Central Europe?
Cities affected by poor air quality in Central Europe include:
- Berlin, Germany
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Budapest, Hungary
- Kraków, Poland
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Munich, Germany
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Vienna, Austria
- Warsaw, Poland
- Wroclaw, Poland
Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels, see Europe’s air quality map.
Krakow is ranked as the 5th and Warsaw is ranked the 11th most polluted major city in the world as of 7:30 AM (PT) on January 22, 2026. Source: IQAir.
When will the air quality improve in Central Europe?
Air quality improvements will vary across the region over the weekend as weather changes and winds shift direction.
Cities in the north, including Warsaw and Berlin, will likely see improvement in air quality by Friday as winds blow pollutants further west. However, cities further south such as Prague and Munich may see air quality remain poor or even worsen later in the evening on Saturday.
What is causing poor air quality in Central Europe?
Pollutant sources vary across the region, but winter home heating practices in winter are a major contributor to poor air quality. Solid fuel is used by nearly 50% of households in Poland - most of it coal - though there are efforts to reduce the country's coal dependence (1).
Wood burning is also a common practice in many European homes, a practice that has grown by 150% between 2006 and 2020 (2).
Contributing to the mix of pollutants is dust from the Saharan Desert sweeping northwest from Egypt and Libya through Southeast Europe and into Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic (3).
Some cities located in valleys and basins may also experience temperature inversions in winter, when warm air rises above cold air, trapping pollutants at ground level. Coupled with stagnant air, this can prevent the dispersal of pollutants.
How can I protect myself from poor air quality?
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.
