Is the air quality good in Central Europe?
On January 25, 2026, air quality across much of Central Europe is poor, with many locations recording AQI levels ranging from moderate to unhealthy due to elevated concentrations of PM2.5.
By 8:30 PM Pacific Time (PT), cities such as Dortmund and Frankfurt, Germany, reported AQI levels above 150, triggering health advisories.
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 8:30 PM (PT) on January 25, 2026. Source: IQAir.
Which cities are affected by bad air quality in Central Europe?
As of January 25, 2026, several major cities across Central Europe and its surrounding regions are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include:
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Brussels, Belgium
- Dortmund, Germany
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Frankfurt, Germany
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Karlsruhe, Germany
- Miskolc, Hungary
- Ostrava, Czechia
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Rotterdam, Netherlands
Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels, see Europe’s air quality map.
Rotterdam, Netherlands, is ranked the 16th most polluted major city in the world, and Brussels, Belgium, is ranked 21st as of 8:30 PM (PT) on January 25, 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 on the western fringes currently most affected, including Dortmund and Rotterdam, are expected to see improving air quality by Tuesday morning.
What is causing poor air quality in Central Europe?
Pollutant sources vary across the region, but 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.
