SmogRank / Episodes / India
Northern India, September 2025
For 4 days, from 21 to 24 September 2025, 16 cities in India had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Mothīhāri, Bihar, India: 171.0 µg/m³ on 23 September, about 7.2× its usual 23.6.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 16 in 1 country
Days 4 21 to 24 September 2025
Worst day 22 September 10 cities counted
Furthest above usual 7.2× Aurangābād
Day by day
Play 22 September 10 cities at twice their usual or more
Gorakhpur Bettiah Bareilly Siwān Buxar Kathmandu Chāpra Morādābād Arrah Sasarām Satna Muzaffarpur Patna Hājīpur Maihar Agra Samāstipur Gwalior Khurja Jhānsi Bulandshahr Bihār Sharīf Dhaulpur Rājgīr Hāpur Vrindāvan Meerut Dādri Greater Noida Muzaffarnagar Ghāziābād Begusarai Dehradun Faridabad Noida Loni Delhi Saharsa Bāghpat Aya Nagar Munger Narela Bawāna Najafgarh Bhiwadi Karauli Alwar Arāria Purnia Dausa Katihar Sawai Madhopur Mohali Baddi Patiāla Bārān Jaipur Gobindgarh Siliguri Tonk Gangtok Jhunjhunūn Jhālāwār Kota Būndi Ludhiana Jalandhar Khanna Kanpur Fīrozābād Gaya Varanasi Chandigarh Ropar Bhāgalpur Dera Māndi Bharatpur Prayagraj Lucknow Kishanganj Aurangābād Rishīkesh Mothīhāri 18 Sep 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Every measured city in the area, coloured by its PM2.5 that day; a dark ring marks a city at twice its usual or more. Bars: cities counted each day, coloured by their median level. Choose a day or press play; without JavaScript, the days link to that day's world ranking.
How it spread
Kishanganj Kishanganj, 18 September: 75.3 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Kishanganj, 19 September: no reading Kishanganj, 20 September: 48.2 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Kishanganj, 21 September: 226.0 µg/m³, 6.8× usual Kishanganj, 22 September: no reading Kishanganj, 23 September: 104.0 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Kishanganj, 24 September: 105.0 µg/m³, 3.2× usual Kishanganj, 25 September: no reading Kishanganj, 26 September: no reading Kishanganj, 27 September: no reading Gaya Gaya, 18 September: 50.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Gaya, 19 September: 59.3 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Gaya, 20 September: 27.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Gaya, 21 September: 38.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Gaya, 22 September: 56.0 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Gaya, 23 September: 52.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Gaya, 24 September: 20.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Gaya, 25 September: 27.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Gaya, 26 September: 26.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Gaya, 27 September: 41.5 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Bharatpur Bharatpur, 18 September: 42.9 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Bharatpur, 19 September: 32.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Bharatpur, 20 September: 34.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Bharatpur, 21 September: 38.6 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Bharatpur, 22 September: 39.8 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Bharatpur, 23 September: 35.6 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Bharatpur, 24 September: 25.5 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Bharatpur, 25 September: 24.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Bharatpur, 26 September: 26.3 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Bharatpur, 27 September: 34.7 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Lucknow Lucknow, 18 September: 20.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Lucknow, 19 September: 44.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Lucknow, 20 September: 36.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Lucknow, 21 September: 65.8 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Lucknow, 22 September: 51.1 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Lucknow, 23 September: 67.6 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Lucknow, 24 September: 87.9 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Lucknow, 25 September: 44.7 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Lucknow, 26 September: 44.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Lucknow, 27 September: 30.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Kanpur Kanpur, 18 September: 18.4 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Kanpur, 19 September: 25.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Kanpur, 20 September: 37.4 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Kanpur, 21 September: 47.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Kanpur, 22 September: 46.6 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Kanpur, 23 September: 45.4 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Kanpur, 24 September: 38.1 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Kanpur, 25 September: 48.3 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Kanpur, 26 September: 53.1 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Kanpur, 27 September: 21.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ropar Ropar, 18 September: no reading Ropar, 19 September: 9.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Ropar, 20 September: 22.4 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Ropar, 21 September: 38.2 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Ropar, 22 September: 37.4 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Ropar, 23 September: 42.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Ropar, 24 September: no reading Ropar, 25 September: no reading Ropar, 26 September: 44.9 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Ropar, 27 September: 36.5 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Fīrozābād Fīrozābād, 18 September: 15.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Fīrozābād, 19 September: 29.6 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Fīrozābād, 20 September: 33.4 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Fīrozābād, 21 September: 37.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Fīrozābād, 22 September: 27.1 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Fīrozābād, 23 September: 28.7 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Fīrozābād, 24 September: 25.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Fīrozābād, 25 September: 23.6 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Fīrozābād, 26 September: 27.4 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Fīrozābād, 27 September: 22.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Prayagraj Prayagraj, 18 September: 12.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Prayagraj, 19 September: 14.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Prayagraj, 20 September: 14.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Prayagraj, 21 September: 26.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Prayagraj, 22 September: 26.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Prayagraj, 23 September: 31.8 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Prayagraj, 24 September: 32.4 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Prayagraj, 25 September: 18.6 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Prayagraj, 26 September: 16.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Prayagraj, 27 September: 12.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Dera Māndi Dera Māndi, 18 September: no reading Dera Māndi, 19 September: 57.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Dera Māndi, 20 September: 34.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Dera Māndi, 21 September: 52.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Dera Māndi, 22 September: 97.8 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Dera Māndi, 23 September: 41.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Dera Māndi, 24 September: 78.7 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Dera Māndi, 25 September: no reading Dera Māndi, 26 September: 37.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Dera Māndi, 27 September: no reading Bhāgalpur Bhāgalpur, 18 September: 50.8 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Bhāgalpur, 19 September: 50.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Bhāgalpur, 20 September: 44.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Bhāgalpur, 21 September: 38.4 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Bhāgalpur, 22 September: 71.4 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Bhāgalpur, 23 September: 26.2 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Bhāgalpur, 24 September: 21.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Bhāgalpur, 25 September: 24.4 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Bhāgalpur, 26 September: 81.2 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Bhāgalpur, 27 September: 35.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Khanna Khanna, 18 September: 28.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Khanna, 19 September: 27.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Khanna, 20 September: 36.4 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Khanna, 21 September: 49.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Khanna, 22 September: 49.3 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Khanna, 23 September: 45.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Khanna, 24 September: 43.4 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Khanna, 25 September: 38.3 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Khanna, 26 September: 44.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Khanna, 27 September: 49.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Chandigarh Chandigarh, 18 September: 21.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Chandigarh, 19 September: 26.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Chandigarh, 20 September: 31.2 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Chandigarh, 21 September: 37.0 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Chandigarh, 22 September: 43.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Chandigarh, 23 September: 29.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Chandigarh, 24 September: 29.4 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Chandigarh, 25 September: 43.9 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Chandigarh, 26 September: 42.1 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Chandigarh, 27 September: 37.6 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Varanasi Varanasi, 18 September: 19.1 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Varanasi, 19 September: 19.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Varanasi, 20 September: 15.7 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Varanasi, 21 September: 23.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Varanasi, 22 September: 41.2 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Varanasi, 23 September: 30.9 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Varanasi, 24 September: 23.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Varanasi, 25 September: 19.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Varanasi, 26 September: 20.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Varanasi, 27 September: 7.2 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Rishīkesh Rishīkesh, 18 September: no reading Rishīkesh, 19 September: no reading Rishīkesh, 20 September: 20.7 µg/m³, 4.1× usual Rishīkesh, 21 September: 22.0 µg/m³, 4.4× usual Rishīkesh, 22 September: 32.0 µg/m³, 6.4× usual Rishīkesh, 23 September: 34.1 µg/m³, 6.8× usual Rishīkesh, 24 September: 33.9 µg/m³, 6.8× usual Rishīkesh, 25 September: no reading Rishīkesh, 26 September: no reading Rishīkesh, 27 September: no reading Mothīhāri Mothīhāri, 18 September: 26.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Mothīhāri, 19 September: 23.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Mothīhāri, 20 September: 27.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Mothīhāri, 21 September: 36.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Mothīhāri, 22 September: no reading Mothīhāri, 23 September: 171.0 µg/m³, 7.2× usual Mothīhāri, 24 September: 92.6 µg/m³, 3.9× usual Mothīhāri, 25 September: 20.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Mothīhāri, 26 September: 28.7 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Mothīhāri, 27 September: 14.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Aurangābād Aurangābād, 18 September: 48.3 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Aurangābād, 19 September: 70.6 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Aurangābād, 20 September: 43.8 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Aurangābād, 21 September: 41.2 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Aurangābād, 22 September: 107.0 µg/m³, 4.9× usual Aurangābād, 23 September: 203.0 µg/m³, 9.4× usual Aurangābād, 24 September: 84.7 µg/m³, 3.9× usual Aurangābād, 25 September: 110.0 µg/m³, 5.1× usual Aurangābād, 26 September: no reading Aurangābād, 27 September: no reading 18 Sep 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Every counted city, in the order the episode reached them, 3 days before to 3 after. Each square is a day, coloured by that day's PM2.5; outlined: at twice the city's usual or more. Good 0–50
Moderate 51–100
Sensitive groups 101–150
Unhealthy 151–200
Very unhealthy 201–300
Hazardous 301+
Every city it reached
City Days Highest Usual Above usual
Aurangābād Bihar, India 1 23 September 21.7 9.4× Mothīhāri Bihar, India 2 23 September 23.6 7.2× Kishanganj Bihar, India 2 21 September 33.1 6.8× Rishīkesh Uttarakhand, India 2 23 September 1.2 6.8× Lucknow Uttar Pradesh, India 3 24 September 28.4 3.1× Bharatpur Rajasthan, India 3 18 September 16.4 2.6× Bhāgalpur Bihar, India 1 26 September 31.2 2.6× Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh, India 4 24 September 13.1 2.5× Dera Māndi Delhi, India 1 22 September 40.1 2.4× Ropar Punjab, India 2 26 September 18.6 2.4× Gaya Bihar, India 2 19 September 24.9 2.4× Chandigarh Chandigarh, India 1 25 September 19.2 2.3× Kanpur Uttar Pradesh, India 1 26 September 23.5 2.3× Varanasi Uttar Pradesh, India 1 22 September 18.5 2.2× Fīrozābād Uttar Pradesh, India 1 21 September 17.4 2.1× Khanna Punjab, India 1 22 September 24.6 2.0×
Daily means in µg/m³. Usual: the city's median for this time of year (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that.
Against other episodes in India
Number 15 of 54 episodes in India since our records began, by cities reached.
North-western India, October 2025 170 North-western India, September 2026 57 North-western India, July 2026 51 North-western India, June 2025 47 North-eastern India, March and April 2025 45 North-western India, November 2025 27 North-western India, April 2026 26 North-western India, April and May 2025 26 North-western India and Pakistan, March 2026 25 North-western India, May 2025 23 North-eastern India, July 2026 22 North-eastern India, April 2025 20 Northern India, September 2025 16 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 54 .
Use this page SmogRank, Northern India, September 2025: 16 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 21 to 24 September 2025, smogrank.com/episodes/2025-09-northern-india (accessed 2 October 2026).
Copy citation Download top 10 (PNG)
You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms .
An episode is a run of days when many cities close to each other (four or more within 350 km on a day, 8 or more in all) each had a daily PM2.5 mean of at least 25 µg/m³ and at least 2 times their usual for that time of year. Found in our own measurements, not picked by hand. How we find episodes . Values are each city's daily mean of its own monitors; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.
