Google Maps Now Lets You Check Local Air Quality

Decide whether you should go outside or stay indoors with the windows shut.

Google Maps' latest feature lets you check the quality of air around you.

Turn on the new air quality layer in the iOS or Android app to monitor the air quality index (AQI) and decide whether to enjoy the great outdoors or stay inside with the windows closed.

The function was teased last year as one of more than 100 AI-powered improvements—including a weather layer that highlights current and forecasted temperatures and conditions. Now rolling out to global markets, folks can check the AQI by tapping the layers icon and selecting "Air Quality" (green circle with three wavy white lines).

As XDA Developers reports, the map automatically zooms out to show an overview of air quality across a broad geographic area; pinch the screen or use the plus and minus buttons to get more localized results.

Nearby monitoring stations appear as small bubbles, highlighting the score and corresponding color-coded dot—from dark green (best) to dark red (worst). Click a bubble to reveal additional information like guidance for outdoor activities and when the number was last updated.

Data is gathered from government monitoring stations run by the US Environmental Protection Agency, as well as non-regulatory partners; the latter's sensor measurements are calculated as a weighted average using the NowCast algorithm and the EPA's correction factor. Users in the US can also see air quality info from PurpleAir via a Nest smart device.

"Pollutant concentrations can be inconsistent over short distances and make air quality readings vary between locations," according to Google Maps' Help page. Data can be influenced by several factors, including wind speed and direction, terrain, smoke plumes, and "other sources that emit fine particle pollution," the site said.

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