SmogRank / Malawi / Central Region

Air quality in Lilongwe

Central Region, Malawi. PM2.5 from 5 low-cost sensors, updated hourly.

28.5 µg/m³
Moderate

Latest hour (12:00 UTC), 1.9× the WHO 24-hour guideline.

Rank

24 h
–
not enough data
7 days
#27
of 2,333 · 51.7 µg/m³
30 days
#7
of 2,331 · 65.3 µg/m³
Year
#38
of 2,173 · 47.9 µg/m³

Why it ranks here

Likely fire smoke. On Sep 25, when Lilongwe averaged 62.1 µg/m³ (its typical day: 41.8), NASA satellites detected 1,137 fires within 300 km (57 within 100 km). Smoke from those fires is a likely contributor; we don't check which way the wind blew, and mapped smoke can be high above the ground.

Chronic pollution. Its typical day over the past year was 41.8 µg/m³, 2.8× the WHO 24-hour guideline, so it ranks high most of the time, not only during events.

Seasonal. Over the past year its worst months were June, July, August, September, averaging up to 65.3 µg/m³ against 15.9 in its cleanest month. Seasonal peaks usually come from heating, crop burning, fire or dust seasons.

Based on Lilongwe's own measurements, with fire detections from NASA FIRMS and smoke maps from NOAA HMS; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.

Last 4 days, hour by hour

15342026-10-01 00:00 UTC: 25.5 µg/m³2026-10-01 01:00 UTC: 22.0 µg/m³2026-10-01 02:00 UTC: 18.8 µg/m³2026-10-01 03:00 UTC: 7.6 µg/m³2026-10-01 04:00 UTC: 14.5 µg/m³2026-10-01 05:00 UTC: 29.1 µg/m³2026-10-01 06:00 UTC: 27.8 µg/m³2026-10-01 07:00 UTC: 28.9 µg/m³2026-10-01 08:00 UTC: 34.4 µg/m³2026-10-01 09:00 UTC: 34.0 µg/m³2026-10-01 10:00 UTC: 28.1 µg/m³2026-10-01 12:00 UTC: 28.5 µg/m³Sep 28Sep 29Sep 30Oct 1

Times in UTC. Dashed line: WHO 24-hour guideline (15 µg/m³).

Every day for a year

SepNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepMonWedFri2025-09-29: no data2025-09-30: no data2025-10-01: no data2025-10-02: no data2025-10-03: no data2025-10-04: no data2025-10-05: no data2025-10-06: no data2025-10-07: no data2025-10-08: no data2025-10-09: no data2025-10-10: 39.7 µg/m³2025-10-11: 50.3 µg/m³2025-10-12: 55.3 µg/m³2025-10-13: 53.0 µg/m³2025-10-14: 48.6 µg/m³2025-10-15: 54.5 µg/m³2025-10-16: 64.3 µg/m³2025-10-17: 61.1 µg/m³2025-10-18: 87.9 µg/m³2025-10-19: 58.1 µg/m³2025-10-20: 52.5 µg/m³2025-10-21: 48.8 µg/m³2025-10-22: 30.3 µg/m³2025-10-23: 27.8 µg/m³2025-10-24: 51.4 µg/m³2025-10-25: 57.5 µg/m³2025-10-26: 55.1 µg/m³2025-10-27: 47.0 µg/m³2025-10-28: 38.6 µg/m³2025-10-29: 42.1 µg/m³2025-10-30: 42.7 µg/m³2025-10-31: 40.2 µg/m³2025-11-01: 41.6 µg/m³2025-11-02: 46.3 µg/m³2025-11-03: 26.6 µg/m³2025-11-04: 64.9 µg/m³2025-11-05: 58.2 µg/m³2025-11-06: no data2025-11-07: no data2025-11-08: 43.2 µg/m³2025-11-09: 34.5 µg/m³2025-11-10: 35.3 µg/m³2025-11-11: 40.7 µg/m³2025-11-12: no data2025-11-13: no data2025-11-14: no data2025-11-15: no data2025-11-16: 36.6 µg/m³2025-11-17: no data2025-11-18: no data2025-11-19: 31.9 µg/m³2025-11-20: 19.4 µg/m³2025-11-21: no data2025-11-22: no data2025-11-23: no data2025-11-24: no data2025-11-25: no data2025-11-26: no data2025-11-27: no data2025-11-28: no data2025-11-29: no data2025-11-30: no data2025-12-01: no data2025-12-02: 21.9 µg/m³2025-12-03: 24.5 µg/m³2025-12-04: 25.3 µg/m³2025-12-05: 20.0 µg/m³2025-12-06: 29.2 µg/m³2025-12-07: 22.0 µg/m³2025-12-08: 20.9 µg/m³2025-12-09: 15.9 µg/m³2025-12-10: 21.8 µg/m³2025-12-11: 23.9 µg/m³2025-12-12: 10.0 µg/m³2025-12-13: 12.5 µg/m³2025-12-14: 12.8 µg/m³2025-12-15: 5.9 µg/m³2025-12-16: 7.4 µg/m³2025-12-17: 14.5 µg/m³2025-12-18: 4.0 µg/m³2025-12-19: 8.9 µg/m³2025-12-20: 10.1 µg/m³2025-12-21: 5.8 µg/m³2025-12-22: 32.9 µg/m³2025-12-23: 44.6 µg/m³2025-12-24: 18.7 µg/m³2025-12-25: 11.7 µg/m³2025-12-26: 4.3 µg/m³2025-12-27: 6.5 µg/m³2025-12-28: 9.3 µg/m³2025-12-29: 8.2 µg/m³2025-12-30: 12.6 µg/m³2025-12-31: 11.6 µg/m³2026-01-01: 10.0 µg/m³2026-01-02: 14.7 µg/m³2026-01-03: 20.8 µg/m³2026-01-04: 18.0 µg/m³2026-01-05: 26.4 µg/m³2026-01-06: 11.8 µg/m³2026-01-07: 25.6 µg/m³2026-01-08: 28.2 µg/m³2026-01-09: 10.5 µg/m³2026-01-10: 17.2 µg/m³2026-01-11: 29.6 µg/m³2026-01-12: 16.3 µg/m³2026-01-13: 25.3 µg/m³2026-01-14: 28.3 µg/m³2026-01-15: 25.5 µg/m³2026-01-16: 36.2 µg/m³2026-01-17: 46.6 µg/m³2026-01-18: 32.6 µg/m³2026-01-19: 30.7 µg/m³2026-01-20: 38.5 µg/m³2026-01-21: 22.9 µg/m³2026-01-22: 23.4 µg/m³2026-01-23: 25.5 µg/m³2026-01-24: 14.0 µg/m³2026-01-25: no data2026-01-26: no data2026-01-27: no data2026-01-28: 30.7 µg/m³2026-01-29: 29.4 µg/m³2026-01-30: 17.6 µg/m³2026-01-31: 17.3 µg/m³2026-02-01: 16.9 µg/m³2026-02-02: 16.9 µg/m³2026-02-03: 14.2 µg/m³2026-02-04: 26.4 µg/m³2026-02-05: 22.7 µg/m³2026-02-06: 31.9 µg/m³2026-02-07: no data2026-02-08: no data2026-02-09: no data2026-02-10: no data2026-02-11: no data2026-02-12: no data2026-02-13: no data2026-02-14: no data2026-02-15: no data2026-02-16: no data2026-02-17: no data2026-02-18: no data2026-02-19: no data2026-02-20: no data2026-02-21: no data2026-02-22: no data2026-02-23: no data2026-02-24: no data2026-02-25: no data2026-02-26: no data2026-02-27: no data2026-02-28: no data2026-03-01: no data2026-03-02: no data2026-03-03: no data2026-03-04: no data2026-03-05: no data2026-03-06: no data2026-03-07: no data2026-03-08: no data2026-03-09: no data2026-03-10: no data2026-03-11: no data2026-03-12: no data2026-03-13: no data2026-03-14: no data2026-03-15: no data2026-03-16: no data2026-03-17: no data2026-03-18: no data2026-03-19: no data2026-03-20: no data2026-03-21: no data2026-03-22: no data2026-03-23: no data2026-03-24: no data2026-03-25: no data2026-03-26: no data2026-03-27: no data2026-03-28: no data2026-03-29: no data2026-03-30: no data2026-03-31: no data2026-04-01: no data2026-04-02: no data2026-04-03: no data2026-04-04: no data2026-04-05: no data2026-04-06: no data2026-04-07: no data2026-04-08: no data2026-04-09: 14.4 µg/m³2026-04-10: 9.6 µg/m³2026-04-11: 23.5 µg/m³2026-04-12: 24.4 µg/m³2026-04-13: 22.0 µg/m³2026-04-14: 22.2 µg/m³2026-04-15: 25.8 µg/m³2026-04-16: 21.5 µg/m³2026-04-17: 17.8 µg/m³2026-04-18: 25.9 µg/m³2026-04-19: 30.6 µg/m³2026-04-20: 36.3 µg/m³2026-04-21: 37.3 µg/m³2026-04-22: 31.7 µg/m³2026-04-23: 34.6 µg/m³2026-04-24: 21.4 µg/m³2026-04-25: 20.9 µg/m³2026-04-26: 19.5 µg/m³2026-04-27: 26.9 µg/m³2026-04-28: 30.2 µg/m³2026-04-29: 33.2 µg/m³2026-04-30: 48.7 µg/m³2026-05-01: 57.2 µg/m³2026-05-02: 49.3 µg/m³2026-05-03: 39.0 µg/m³2026-05-04: 49.6 µg/m³2026-05-05: 64.6 µg/m³2026-05-06: 53.9 µg/m³2026-05-07: 37.8 µg/m³2026-05-08: 32.9 µg/m³2026-05-09: 29.7 µg/m³2026-05-10: 43.6 µg/m³2026-05-11: 47.9 µg/m³2026-05-12: 45.8 µg/m³2026-05-13: 51.0 µg/m³2026-05-14: 44.1 µg/m³2026-05-15: 57.1 µg/m³2026-05-16: 45.9 µg/m³2026-05-17: 25.0 µg/m³2026-05-18: 16.5 µg/m³2026-05-19: 21.4 µg/m³2026-05-20: 24.0 µg/m³2026-05-21: 30.5 µg/m³2026-05-22: 24.1 µg/m³2026-05-23: 33.1 µg/m³2026-05-24: 24.9 µg/m³2026-05-25: 30.3 µg/m³2026-05-26: 30.1 µg/m³2026-05-27: no data2026-05-28: 64.8 µg/m³2026-05-29: 66.7 µg/m³2026-05-30: 47.2 µg/m³2026-05-31: 26.3 µg/m³2026-06-01: 28.1 µg/m³2026-06-02: 46.6 µg/m³2026-06-03: 43.9 µg/m³2026-06-04: 38.5 µg/m³2026-06-05: 32.6 µg/m³2026-06-06: 40.8 µg/m³2026-06-07: 44.3 µg/m³2026-06-08: 46.9 µg/m³2026-06-09: 55.8 µg/m³2026-06-10: 68.2 µg/m³2026-06-11: 51.3 µg/m³2026-06-12: 58.3 µg/m³2026-06-13: 89.0 µg/m³2026-06-14: 50.0 µg/m³2026-06-15: 73.5 µg/m³2026-06-16: 79.6 µg/m³2026-06-17: 71.0 µg/m³2026-06-18: 78.6 µg/m³2026-06-19: 87.6 µg/m³2026-06-20: 59.9 µg/m³2026-06-21: 47.8 µg/m³2026-06-22: 41.6 µg/m³2026-06-23: 63.5 µg/m³2026-06-24: 85.5 µg/m³2026-06-25: 87.0 µg/m³2026-06-26: 36.1 µg/m³2026-06-27: no data2026-06-28: no data2026-06-29: no data2026-06-30: 77.1 µg/m³2026-07-01: 77.3 µg/m³2026-07-02: 70.6 µg/m³2026-07-03: 81.3 µg/m³2026-07-04: 90.0 µg/m³2026-07-05: 58.9 µg/m³2026-07-06: 41.5 µg/m³2026-07-07: 29.5 µg/m³2026-07-08: 32.6 µg/m³2026-07-09: 46.4 µg/m³2026-07-10: 80.6 µg/m³2026-07-11: 69.3 µg/m³2026-07-12: 62.3 µg/m³2026-07-13: 61.7 µg/m³2026-07-14: 66.3 µg/m³2026-07-15: 85.7 µg/m³2026-07-16: 72.6 µg/m³2026-07-17: 71.8 µg/m³2026-07-18: 62.4 µg/m³2026-07-19: 63.7 µg/m³2026-07-20: 67.6 µg/m³2026-07-21: 74.1 µg/m³2026-07-22: 91.9 µg/m³2026-07-23: 80.8 µg/m³2026-07-24: 78.7 µg/m³2026-07-25: 52.6 µg/m³2026-07-26: 15.1 µg/m³2026-07-27: 22.6 µg/m³2026-07-28: 53.2 µg/m³2026-07-29: 58.8 µg/m³2026-07-30: 70.6 µg/m³2026-07-31: 65.6 µg/m³2026-08-01: 43.4 µg/m³2026-08-02: 41.9 µg/m³2026-08-03: 48.3 µg/m³2026-08-04: 59.3 µg/m³2026-08-05: 74.5 µg/m³2026-08-06: 72.4 µg/m³2026-08-07: 82.8 µg/m³2026-08-08: 70.5 µg/m³2026-08-09: 66.0 µg/m³2026-08-10: 58.6 µg/m³2026-08-11: 79.7 µg/m³2026-08-12: 74.7 µg/m³2026-08-13: 38.5 µg/m³2026-08-14: 17.0 µg/m³2026-08-15: 26.4 µg/m³2026-08-16: 33.3 µg/m³2026-08-17: 31.5 µg/m³2026-08-18: 48.6 µg/m³2026-08-19: 44.8 µg/m³2026-08-20: 47.8 µg/m³2026-08-21: 73.3 µg/m³2026-08-22: 56.4 µg/m³2026-08-23: 64.8 µg/m³2026-08-24: 71.7 µg/m³2026-08-25: 68.2 µg/m³2026-08-26: 76.4 µg/m³2026-08-27: no data2026-08-28: no data2026-08-29: no data2026-08-30: no data2026-08-31: 63.4 µg/m³2026-09-01: 85.8 µg/m³2026-09-02: 116.0 µg/m³2026-09-03: 100.0 µg/m³2026-09-04: 74.8 µg/m³2026-09-05: 68.6 µg/m³2026-09-06: 65.6 µg/m³2026-09-07: 73.3 µg/m³2026-09-08: 46.4 µg/m³2026-09-09: 25.8 µg/m³2026-09-10: 37.6 µg/m³2026-09-11: 47.4 µg/m³2026-09-12: 59.8 µg/m³2026-09-13: 58.5 µg/m³2026-09-14: 72.1 µg/m³2026-09-15: 95.2 µg/m³2026-09-16: 78.7 µg/m³2026-09-17: 61.8 µg/m³2026-09-18: 49.6 µg/m³2026-09-19: 61.9 µg/m³2026-09-20: 64.1 µg/m³2026-09-21: 64.1 µg/m³2026-09-22: 95.1 µg/m³2026-09-23: 94.7 µg/m³2026-09-24: 62.0 µg/m³2026-09-25: 62.1 µg/m³2026-09-26: 54.8 µg/m³2026-09-27: 41.7 µg/m³2026-09-28: 43.2 µg/m³2026-09-29: 49.5 µg/m³2026-09-30: 48.9 µg/m³
Good 0–9.0Moderate 9.1+Unhealthy for sensitive groups 35.5+Unhealthy 55.5+Very unhealthy 125.5+Hazardous 225.5+No data

240 of 265 measured days were over the WHO 24-hour guideline.

Daily world rank

#1#1994NovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep

Rank on each day's board (1 = most polluted city that day).

2026 against 2025, month by month

15Jan 2026: 24.1 µg/m³JanFebMarApr 2026: 26.3 µg/m³AprMay 2026: 40.5 µg/m³MayJun 2026: 58.6 µg/m³JunJul 2026: 63.1 µg/m³JulAug 2026: 56.8 µg/m³AugSep 2026: 65.3 µg/m³SepOct 2025: 50.3 µg/m³OctNov 2025: 39.9 µg/m³NovDec 2025: 15.9 µg/m³Dec

Faded bars: 2025. A month shows once it has 10 measured days.

Monitors

StationOperatorType
Mchesi, LilongweCC BY 4.0MUBAS Air QualityLow-cost
City Center, LilongweCC BY 4.0MUBAS Air QualityLow-cost
Area 4, LilongweCC BY 4.0MUBAS Air QualityLow-cost
Game Complex, LilongweCC BY 4.0MUBAS Air QualityLow-cost
Nankhaka, LilongweCC BY 4.0MUBAS Air QualityLow-cost

No reference monitor here, so the value is the median of low-cost sensors (at least two reporting each hour). Low-cost sensors can read high in humid air. Data via OpenAQ; licences as listed. How we rank. Embed this on your site.

Other cities in Malawi

Blantyre 71.0Zomba 61.4Karonga 40.7Mzuzu 36.5

30-day averages, µg/m³. All of Malawi →

Updated 2026-10-01 13:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 in µg/m³ (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors.