SmogRank / Episodes / Chile
South-western Chile, May 2026
For 5 days, from 18 to 22 May 2026, 19 cities in Chile had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Hualpén, Biobio, Chile: 192.0 µg/m³ on 20 May, about 3.3× its usual 58.8.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 19 in 1 country
Days 5 18 to 22 May 2026
Worst day 20 May 15 cities counted
Furthest above usual 3.8× Puerto Varas
Day by day
Play 20 May 15 cities at twice their usual or more
Villarrica Coronel Chiguayante Concepción Tomé San Carlos La Unión Curicó Nacimiento Cauquenes Hualqui Curanilahue Talca Lota Osorno Puerto Montt Los Ángeles Temuco San Pedro de la Paz Chillán Hualpén Linares Talcahuano Valdivia Puerto Varas 15 May 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 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
Talca Talca, 15 May: 90.6 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Talca, 16 May: 39.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Talca, 17 May: 47.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Talca, 18 May: 67.1 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Talca, 19 May: 99.5 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Talca, 20 May: 95.7 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Talca, 21 May: 69.7 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Talca, 22 May: 57.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Talca, 23 May: 75.8 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Talca, 24 May: 62.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Talca, 25 May: 73.2 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Linares Linares, 15 May: 87.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Linares, 16 May: 61.8 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Linares, 17 May: 119.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Linares, 18 May: 156.0 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Linares, 19 May: 169.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Linares, 20 May: 174.0 µg/m³, 3.4× usual Linares, 21 May: 78.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Linares, 22 May: 50.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Linares, 23 May: 71.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Linares, 24 May: 77.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Linares, 25 May: 124.0 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Hualpén Hualpén, 15 May: 38.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Hualpén, 16 May: 50.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Hualpén, 17 May: 69.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Hualpén, 18 May: 137.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Hualpén, 19 May: no reading Hualpén, 20 May: 192.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Hualpén, 21 May: 50.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Hualpén, 22 May: 66.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Hualpén, 23 May: 62.9 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Hualpén, 24 May: 67.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Hualpén, 25 May: 89.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Chillán Chillán, 15 May: 47.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Chillán, 16 May: 23.1 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Chillán, 17 May: 39.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Chillán, 18 May: 116.7 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Chillán, 19 May: 134.1 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Chillán, 20 May: 135.1 µg/m³, 3.2× usual Chillán, 21 May: 93.8 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Chillán, 22 May: 58.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Chillán, 23 May: 74.4 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Chillán, 24 May: 55.6 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Chillán, 25 May: 107.8 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Talcahuano Talcahuano, 15 May: 32.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Talcahuano, 16 May: 35.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Talcahuano, 17 May: 47.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talcahuano, 18 May: 106.8 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Talcahuano, 19 May: 105.7 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Talcahuano, 20 May: 130.0 µg/m³, 3.6× usual Talcahuano, 21 May: 38.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Talcahuano, 22 May: 43.2 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Talcahuano, 23 May: 44.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Talcahuano, 24 May: 44.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talcahuano, 25 May: 71.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual La Unión La Unión, 15 May: 27.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual La Unión, 16 May: 40.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual La Unión, 17 May: 35.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual La Unión, 18 May: 85.4 µg/m³, 1.9× usual La Unión, 19 May: 52.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual La Unión, 20 May: 83.7 µg/m³, 1.9× usual La Unión, 21 May: 37.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual La Unión, 22 May: 93.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual La Unión, 23 May: 112.0 µg/m³, 2.6× usual La Unión, 24 May: 56.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual La Unión, 25 May: 62.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Temuco Temuco, 15 May: 66.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Temuco, 16 May: 50.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Temuco, 17 May: 68.0 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Temuco, 18 May: 86.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Temuco, 19 May: 129.0 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Temuco, 20 May: 111.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Temuco, 21 May: 114.0 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Temuco, 22 May: 60.5 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Temuco, 23 May: 53.4 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Temuco, 24 May: 53.2 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Temuco, 25 May: 74.1 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Curanilahue Curanilahue, 15 May: 27.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Curanilahue, 16 May: 19.8 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Curanilahue, 17 May: 44.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Curanilahue, 18 May: 71.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Curanilahue, 19 May: 106.0 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Curanilahue, 20 May: 116.0 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Curanilahue, 21 May: 70.4 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Curanilahue, 22 May: 54.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Curanilahue, 23 May: 53.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Curanilahue, 24 May: 53.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Curanilahue, 25 May: 72.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Los Ángeles Los Ángeles, 15 May: 27.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Los Ángeles, 16 May: 18.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Los Ángeles, 17 May: 23.6 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Los Ángeles, 18 May: 72.6 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Los Ángeles, 19 May: 94.7 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Los Ángeles, 20 May: 107.1 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Los Ángeles, 21 May: 111.4 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Los Ángeles, 22 May: 61.4 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Los Ángeles, 23 May: 59.3 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Los Ángeles, 24 May: 60.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Los Ángeles, 25 May: 98.1 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Lota Lota, 15 May: 37.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Lota, 16 May: 31.4 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Lota, 17 May: 36.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Lota, 18 May: 39.3 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Lota, 19 May: 42.8 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Lota, 20 May: 58.5 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Lota, 21 May: no reading Lota, 22 May: no reading Lota, 23 May: no reading Lota, 24 May: no reading Lota, 25 May: 29.5 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Nacimiento Nacimiento, 15 May: 64.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Nacimiento, 16 May: 22.8 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Nacimiento, 17 May: 32.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Nacimiento, 18 May: 113.1 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Nacimiento, 19 May: 137.3 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Nacimiento, 20 May: 153.4 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Nacimiento, 21 May: 70.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Nacimiento, 22 May: 72.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Nacimiento, 23 May: 73.8 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Nacimiento, 24 May: 89.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Nacimiento, 25 May: 108.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Curicó Curicó, 15 May: 81.8 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Curicó, 16 May: 47.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Curicó, 17 May: 58.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Curicó, 18 May: 88.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Curicó, 19 May: 86.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Curicó, 20 May: 106.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Curicó, 21 May: 66.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Curicó, 22 May: 56.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Curicó, 23 May: 93.7 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Curicó, 24 May: 92.4 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Curicó, 25 May: 96.8 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Hualqui Hualqui, 15 May: 87.8 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Hualqui, 16 May: 68.5 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Hualqui, 17 May: 67.2 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Hualqui, 18 May: 89.0 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Hualqui, 19 May: 87.3 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Hualqui, 20 May: 102.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Hualqui, 21 May: 63.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Hualqui, 22 May: 84.1 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Hualqui, 23 May: 55.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Hualqui, 24 May: 81.6 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Hualqui, 25 May: 74.5 µg/m³, 1.7× usual San Pedro de la Paz San Pedro de la Paz, 15 May: 30.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 16 May: 29.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 17 May: 37.6 µg/m³, 1.4× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 18 May: 39.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 19 May: 47.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 20 May: 86.6 µg/m³, 3.2× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 21 May: 33.6 µg/m³, 1.2× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 22 May: 37.9 µg/m³, 1.4× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 23 May: 38.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 24 May: 49.4 µg/m³, 1.8× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 25 May: 53.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Cauquenes Cauquenes, 15 May: 38.9 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Cauquenes, 16 May: 23.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Cauquenes, 17 May: 31.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Cauquenes, 18 May: 40.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Cauquenes, 19 May: 63.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Cauquenes, 20 May: 80.6 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Cauquenes, 21 May: 77.9 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Cauquenes, 22 May: 55.3 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Cauquenes, 23 May: 48.6 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Cauquenes, 24 May: 62.4 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Cauquenes, 25 May: 59.7 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Puerto Montt Puerto Montt, 15 May: 17.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Puerto Montt, 16 May: 25.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Puerto Montt, 17 May: 22.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Puerto Montt, 18 May: 35.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Puerto Montt, 19 May: 25.6 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Puerto Montt, 20 May: 70.9 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Puerto Montt, 21 May: 77.4 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Puerto Montt, 22 May: 99.0 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Puerto Montt, 23 May: 93.4 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Puerto Montt, 24 May: 28.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Puerto Montt, 25 May: 27.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Puerto Varas Puerto Varas, 15 May: 41.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Puerto Varas, 16 May: 45.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Puerto Varas, 17 May: 53.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Puerto Varas, 18 May: 52.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Puerto Varas, 19 May: 50.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Puerto Varas, 20 May: 69.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Puerto Varas, 21 May: 186.0 µg/m³, 3.8× usual Puerto Varas, 22 May: 138.0 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Puerto Varas, 23 May: 80.7 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Puerto Varas, 24 May: 29.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Puerto Varas, 25 May: 31.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Valdivia Valdivia, 15 May: 29.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Valdivia, 16 May: 57.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Valdivia, 17 May: 22.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Valdivia, 18 May: 23.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Valdivia, 19 May: 33.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Valdivia, 20 May: 68.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Valdivia, 21 May: 145.0 µg/m³, 3.7× usual Valdivia, 22 May: 60.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Valdivia, 23 May: 64.0 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Valdivia, 24 May: 95.6 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Valdivia, 25 May: 96.7 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Osorno Osorno, 15 May: 28.8 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Osorno, 16 May: 40.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Osorno, 17 May: 60.2 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Osorno, 18 May: 91.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Osorno, 19 May: 42.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Osorno, 20 May: 100.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Osorno, 21 May: 112.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Osorno, 22 May: 182.0 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Osorno, 23 May: 100.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Osorno, 24 May: 59.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Osorno, 25 May: 74.9 µg/m³, 1.2× usual 15 May 17 19 21 23 25 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
Puerto Varas Los Lagos Region, Chile 2 21 May 48.4 3.8× Valdivia Los Ríos Region, Chile 1 21 May 39.1 3.7× Talcahuano Biobio, Chile 3 20 May 35.7 3.6× Linares Maule Region, Chile 3 20 May 51.3 3.4× Hualpén Biobio, Chile 2 20 May 58.8 3.3× San Pedro de la Paz Biobio, Chile 1 20 May 27.1 3.2× Chillán Ñuble, Chile 4 20 May 42.6 3.2× Temuco Araucania, Chile 3 19 May 43.7 3.0× Los Ángeles Biobio, Chile 3 21 May 38.2 2.9× Puerto Montt Los Lagos Region, Chile 3 22 May 34.1 2.9× Osorno Los Lagos Region, Chile 1 22 May 63.3 2.9× Lota Biobio, Chile 2 20 May 21.3 2.7× La Unión Los Ríos Region, Chile 1 23 May 43.8 2.6× Talca Maule Region, Chile 2 19 May 40.7 2.4× Curanilahue Biobio, Chile 2 20 May 48.8 2.4× Hualqui Biobio, Chile 1 20 May 44.1 2.3× Cauquenes Maule Region, Chile 2 20 May 36.5 2.2× Nacimiento Biobio, Chile 1 20 May 71.4 2.1× Curicó Maule Region, Chile 1 20 May 51.0 2.1×
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 Chile
Number 2 of 11 episodes in Chile since our records began, by cities reached.
South-western Chile, July 2026 19 South-western Chile, May 2026 19 South-western Chile, June and July 2025 17 South-western Chile, August 2026 14 South-western Chile, May 2026 14 South-western Chile, June 2025 12 South-western Chile, August 2026 10 Biobio and Maule Region, Chile, January 2026 10 South-western Chile, August 2025 9 Southern Chile, June 2025 9 Los Lagos Region and Biobio, Chile, May 2026 8 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading.
Use this page SmogRank, South-western Chile, May 2026: 19 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 18 to 22 May 2026, smogrank.com/episodes/2026-05-south-western-chile (accessed 2 October 2026).
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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.
