SmogRank / Episodes / Chile
South-western Chile, May 2026
For 3 days, from 25 to 27 May 2026, 14 cities in Chile had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Linares, Maule Region, Chile: 165.0 µg/m³ on 26 May, about 3.1× its usual 52.7.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 14 in 1 country
Days 3 25 to 27 May 2026
Worst day 27 May 11 cities counted
Furthest above usual 3.7× Los Ángeles
Day by day
Play 27 May 11 cities at twice their usual or more
Nacimiento Hualqui Lota Coronel Concepción San Pedro de la Paz Curanilahue Hualpén Tomé Talcahuano Cauquenes Curicó Rengo Rancagua Puente Alto Santiago Quilpué Viña del Mar Temuco Puerto Varas Talca Chiguayante Talagante Villarrica La Unión Osorno Puerto Montt Chillán Linares San Carlos Valdivia Los Ángeles 22 May 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 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
Osorno Osorno, 22 May: 182.0 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Osorno, 23 May: 100.6 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Osorno, 24 May: 59.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Osorno, 25 May: 74.9 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Osorno, 26 May: 152.5 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Osorno, 27 May: 157.0 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Osorno, 28 May: 53.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Osorno, 29 May: 61.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Osorno, 30 May: 72.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Puerto Varas Puerto Varas, 22 May: 138.0 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Puerto Varas, 23 May: 80.7 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Puerto Varas, 24 May: 29.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Puerto Varas, 25 May: 31.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Puerto Varas, 26 May: 93.9 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Puerto Varas, 27 May: 107.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Puerto Varas, 28 May: 30.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Puerto Varas, 29 May: 24.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Puerto Varas, 30 May: 41.7 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Puerto Montt 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 Montt, 26 May: 94.2 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Puerto Montt, 27 May: 69.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Puerto Montt, 28 May: 28.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Puerto Montt, 29 May: 23.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Puerto Montt, 30 May: 23.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual La Unión La Unión, 22 May: 93.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual La Unión, 23 May: 112.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usual La Unión, 24 May: 56.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual La Unión, 25 May: 62.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual La Unión, 26 May: 100.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual La Unión, 27 May: 114.0 µg/m³, 2.6× usual La Unión, 28 May: 40.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual La Unión, 29 May: 35.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual La Unión, 30 May: 68.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Valdivia Valdivia, 22 May: 60.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Valdivia, 23 May: 64.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Valdivia, 24 May: 95.6 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Valdivia, 25 May: 96.7 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Valdivia, 26 May: 123.5 µg/m³, 3.3× usual Valdivia, 27 May: 127.0 µg/m³, 3.4× usual Valdivia, 28 May: 45.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Valdivia, 29 May: 53.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Valdivia, 30 May: 45.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Chiguayante Chiguayante, 22 May: 44.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Chiguayante, 23 May: 47.1 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Chiguayante, 24 May: 63.3 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Chiguayante, 25 May: 65.3 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Chiguayante, 26 May: 44.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Chiguayante, 27 May: 31.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Chiguayante, 28 May: 18.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Chiguayante, 29 May: 27.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Chiguayante, 30 May: 37.1 µg/m³, 1.2× usual San Carlos San Carlos, 22 May: no reading San Carlos, 23 May: 68.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual San Carlos, 24 May: 64.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual San Carlos, 25 May: 154.0 µg/m³, 3.4× usual San Carlos, 26 May: 154.0 µg/m³, 3.4× usual San Carlos, 27 May: 106.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual San Carlos, 28 May: 39.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual San Carlos, 29 May: 66.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual San Carlos, 30 May: 60.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Linares Linares, 22 May: 50.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Linares, 23 May: 71.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Linares, 24 May: 77.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Linares, 25 May: 124.0 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Linares, 26 May: 165.0 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Linares, 27 May: 110.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Linares, 28 May: 51.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Linares, 29 May: 71.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Linares, 30 May: 94.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Chillán 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 Chillán, 26 May: 126.1 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Chillán, 27 May: 111.2 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Chillán, 28 May: 42.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Chillán, 29 May: 68.8 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Chillán, 30 May: 46.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Talagante Talagante, 22 May: 65.8 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talagante, 23 May: 61.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talagante, 24 May: 75.1 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Talagante, 25 May: 101.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Talagante, 26 May: 67.5 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Talagante, 27 May: 43.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Talagante, 28 May: 49.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Talagante, 29 May: 61.9 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talagante, 30 May: 78.2 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Los Ángeles Los Ángeles, 22 May: 61.4 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Los Ángeles, 23 May: 59.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Los Ángeles, 24 May: 60.9 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Los Ángeles, 25 May: 98.1 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Los Ángeles, 26 May: 128.6 µg/m³, 3.7× usual Los Ángeles, 27 May: 82.2 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Los Ángeles, 28 May: 37.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Los Ángeles, 29 May: 62.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Los Ángeles, 30 May: 33.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Villarrica Villarrica, 22 May: 11.8 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Villarrica, 23 May: 11.2 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Villarrica, 24 May: 21.2 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Villarrica, 25 May: 95.7 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Villarrica, 26 May: 82.9 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Villarrica, 27 May: 94.2 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Villarrica, 28 May: 50.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Villarrica, 29 May: 51.8 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Villarrica, 30 May: 25.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Talca Talca, 22 May: 57.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Talca, 23 May: 75.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Talca, 24 May: 62.9 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Talca, 25 May: 73.2 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Talca, 26 May: 86.1 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Talca, 27 May: 77.0 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Talca, 28 May: 51.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talca, 29 May: 50.0 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Talca, 30 May: 52.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Temuco Temuco, 22 May: 60.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Temuco, 23 May: 53.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Temuco, 24 May: 53.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Temuco, 25 May: 74.1 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Temuco, 26 May: 91.3 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Temuco, 27 May: 99.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Temuco, 28 May: 33.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Temuco, 29 May: 59.8 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Temuco, 30 May: 56.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual 22 May 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 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
Los Ángeles Biobio, Chile 3 26 May 34.8 3.7× San Carlos Ñuble, Chile 3 25 May 45.6 3.4× Valdivia Los Ríos Region, Chile 3 27 May 37.9 3.4× Linares Maule Region, Chile 3 26 May 52.7 3.1× Osorno Los Lagos Region, Chile 2 22 May 59.2 3.1× Chillán Ñuble, Chile 3 26 May 42.6 3.0× Puerto Montt Los Lagos Region, Chile 2 22 May 34.4 2.9× Puerto Varas Los Lagos Region, Chile 1 22 May 50.6 2.7× La Unión Los Ríos Region, Chile 2 27 May 44.3 2.6× Villarrica Araucania, Chile 2 25 May 44.3 2.2× Chiguayante Biobio, Chile 1 25 May 30.4 2.1× Talca Maule Region, Chile 1 26 May 41.2 2.1× Talagante Santiago Metropolitan, Chile 1 25 May 48.8 2.1× Temuco Araucania, Chile 1 27 May 49.2 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 Chile
Number 5 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: 14 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 25 to 27 May 2026, smogrank.com/episodes/2026-05-south-western-chile-2 (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.
