Outdoor exercise
Is it safe to run in Pretoria today?
Live AQI and the best running window for Pretoria based on Open-Meteo hourly forecasts.
Running today
No — postpone outdoor running
Air quality is unhealthy enough that outdoor running is not recommended right now, even for healthy adults. Move exercise indoors, or wait for the AQI to drop into a safer band using the hourly forecast below. Sensitive groups should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion entirely until conditions improve.
Current AQI in Pretoria
169
Unhealthy
Updated 18 Jul 2026, 04:00
Best window to run (next 12h)
13:00 – 14:00 · lowest ~78 AQI
Hourly AQI (next 12 hours)
Now
179
05:00
174
06:00
169
07:00
165
08:00
161
09:00
160
10:00
160
11:00
157
12:00
143
13:00
82
14:00
78
15:00
82
What affects air quality for runners in Pretoria
Pretoria's air quality is influenced by urban traffic, household fuel use in surrounding areas, and regional transport across the Highveld. Commuter corridors tend to show higher nitrogen dioxide, while particulate pollution can build across wider zones during calm conditions. Local topography also affects how quickly polluted air disperses overnight and into morning.