Air quality in Finland: where to check and what to do

Short answer. Check the Finnish Meteorological Institute's (FMI) "Ilmanlaatu nyt" page, which maps current measurements by station ². FMI's air quality index rates each station every hour as good, satisfactory, fair, poor or very poor ¹. Cities are responsible for monitoring air quality in their own area ². If toxic gas or smoke spreads outside, the government's advice is to go indoors, switch off ventilation and seal openings ⁶.

Where can I check air quality right now?

On FMI's "Ilmanlaatu nyt" (air quality now) page: click a station on the map for details ². For Helsinki and Uusimaa, FMI points to HSY's "Ilmanlaatu Nyt" service, with real-time data and a forecast from FMI's ENFUSER model ². For questions about your own area, FMI refers you to local air quality experts, since cities run monitoring in their area ².

What do the index levels mean?

The index is calculated hourly for each station from hourly concentrations, relative to air quality guideline and limit values ¹. It can include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, PM10, PM2.5, ozone and malodorous sulphur compounds, but no station measures all of them ¹. It was adapted to Finnish conditions by HSY and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) ¹.

Phaenyx found no official activity advice attached to each level on FMI's index page. See Air quality index explained and Sensitive people and polluted air.

How polluted is the air on average?

Fine particles are low. The population-weighted median of Finnish cities shows about 5 µg/m³ of PM2.5 (annual mean 2021-2023) ³, at the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ ⁵. For nitrogen dioxide, the CAMS model gives about 14.9 µg/m³ ⁴ (WHO annual guideline: 10 µg/m³ ⁵). Treat this as a coarse regional background over roughly 80 km, not a measurement where you live, and do not read a health verdict into it: local levels can be lower or higher, and a busy street will be higher. For measured values, FMI's "Ilmanlaatu nyt" page links to station data and yearly air pollution statistics for Finland ².

What should I do on a bad air day, or with smoke or dust?

• Toxic smoke or gas outside: go inside your home or the nearest indoor space, follow the authorities' warnings, turn off ventilation if they tell you to or if you notice toxic gas or smoke outside, close doors, windows and vents and seal them with tape, and stay inside until the authority says the situation is over ⁶. See Shelter indoors from chemicals and our Finland alerts page.
• Wildfire risk: check FMI's warnings for a wildfire warning in your area; if one is in force, do not light open fires ⁷. For smoke, see Wildfire smoke, A clean-air room at home and Masks for smoke.
• Poor or very poor index: see Pollution episodes and Children and polluted air.
• Dust: see Dust storms.

A household plan can list who in your home is sensitive to polluted air and where to shelter.

Frequently asked questions

Who measures air quality in Finland?

Cities are responsible for monitoring in their own area; FMI publishes the measurements nationally ².

How often is the index updated?

Every hour ¹.

What PM2.5 level counts as "poor"?

50-75 µg/m³ as an hourly concentration; above 75 is "very poor" ¹.

Should I switch off ventilation during smoke?

Yes, if the authorities tell you to or if you notice toxic gas or smoke outside, for example from a nearby fire ⁶.

Sources

1. Ilmatieteen laitos (Finnish Meteorological Institute, FMI) — Ilmanlaatuindeksi — https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/ilmanlaatuindeksi (accessed 2026-10-27)
2. Ilmatieteen laitos (Finnish Meteorological Institute, FMI) — Ilmanlaatu nyt — https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/ilmanlaatu (accessed 2026-10-27)
3. Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG), Washington University in St. Louis — Surface PM2.5, V6.GL.02.04 (annual mean 2021-2023) — https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/datasets/surface-pm2-5/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
4. Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) — CAMS global reanalysis (EAC4) — https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
5. World Health Organization (WHO) — WHO global air quality guidelines (2021) — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228 (accessed 2026-10-27)
6. Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi — General instructions on preparedness, home emergency supplies and on what to do in different situations - Preparing for Incidents and Crises — https://www.suomi.fi/guides/preparedness/how-to-prepare-for-incidents-and-crises/general-instructions-on-preparedness-home-emergency-supplies-and-on-what-to-do-in-different-situations (accessed 2026-10-27)
7. Vesi.fi (Suomen ympäristökeskus Syke and partners) — Näin varaudut kuivuuteen — https://www.vesi.fi/vesitieto/nain-varaudut-kuivuuteen/ (accessed 2026-10-27)