Direct planning answer
How often do air-quality forecasts update? A direct answer
Air-quality forecasts update according to the source model and provider schedule, not one universal app interval. A new page view, cache fetch, valid hour, and model run are different clocks.
Four clocks
Short answer
Air-quality forecasts update according to the source model and provider schedule, not one universal app interval. A new page view, cache fetch, valid hour, and model run are different clocks.
AirAgora reports the source timestamp it receives rather than promising an unsupported exact publication minute. A browser refresh does not make the underlying model newer.
Five timestamps can appear in one product
The model run marks forecast production. Valid time says which hour a value represents. Provider/source time identifies the delivered dataset. Fetch time records the app request. View time is when the browser renders.
Caching can reuse a valid response for performance and provider protection. During a failure, a recent stale response may remain useful only if its original time and stale state are visible.
How AirAgora answers
The AirAgora air-quality cache treats a response as fresh for 20 minutes and can retain it for a bounded two-hour stale-on-error window. Requests for the same normalized point can be coalesced.
After stale retention expires, AirAgora shows unavailable. Missing hours are not filled, and production never substitutes fixtures, scraping, or another provider.
How to use the answer
Look for the underlying source/model time, not a generic “updated now.” Confirm timezone and whether the value is forecast, observation, or cache.
When comparing apps, align model run or observation time before deciding one is newer. A later page timestamp can still serve older source data.
- Model run
- Valid hour
- Provider/source time
- Application fetch and cache age
- Browser view time
Direct answers
Frequently asked questions
Does AirAgora fetch on every page view?
No. It uses bounded caching and request coalescing.
How long is the AirAgora cache fresh?
Twenty minutes for air-quality responses, with a bounded two-hour stale-on-error retention.
Does “updated now” always mean a new model?
No. It can refer to page rendering or fetching rather than the underlying source run.
What happens after stale data expires?
AirAgora reports unavailable instead of pretending the old response is current.
Does AirAgora treat “How often do air-quality forecasts update? A direct answer” as a personal guarantee?
AirAgora reports the source timestamp it receives rather than promising an unsupported exact publication minute. A browser refresh does not make the underlying model newer.
Evidence register
Sources and further reading
The links below identify the primary references used on this page. Selection, summary, and presentation are AirAgora modifications.
Keep exploring
AirAgora provides informational planning guidance, not medical advice. Local conditions can differ from modeled forecasts; follow official guidance during severe events.