Direct air-quality answer
What is sulphur dioxide in an air-quality forecast?
Sulphur dioxide, abbreviated SO₂, is a gas included in outdoor air-quality data. OpenWeather reports modeled SO₂ concentration in micrograms per cubic metre and documents SO₂ concentration bands within its official air-pollution scale from 1 to 5.
Gaseous component
NO₂
Short answer
Sulphur dioxide, abbreviated SO₂, is a gas included in outdoor air-quality data. OpenWeather reports modeled SO₂ concentration in micrograms per cubic metre and documents SO₂ concentration bands within its official air-pollution scale from 1 to 5.
The forecast is a broad modeled estimate for a location and hour, not a street-level measurement, personal-exposure reading, or identification of a local source. AirAgora does not infer why SO₂ has a particular value in a city.
How to read the SO₂ value
SO₂ concentration in µg/m³ is a physical quantity returned with the other pollutant fields. The OpenWeather value from 1 to 5 is a separate provider communication scale built from documented pollutant bands. AirAgora preserves both roles rather than relabeling either number as U.S., European, or local regulatory AQI.
The U.S. EPA lists sulfur dioxide among the pollutants covered by the U.S. AQI, while WHO’s 2021 global air-quality guidelines include sulfur dioxide. Those authorities provide regulatory and public-health context; they do not turn the OpenWeather provider value into a regulatory index.
How AirAgora handles the question
AirAgora derives continuous internal SO₂ severity only from OpenWeather’s documented SO₂ concentration bands. That comparable severity can help rank complete forecast windows and identify a main pollutant, but it is never displayed as a new AirAgora AQI.
SO₂ can be named as the main pollutant when its derived severity is highest under the deterministic tie rules. The label describes the selected provider data. It does not attribute the value to traffic, industry, fuel, weather, an event, or any other city-specific cause.
What to check before comparing
Before comparing services, align the pollutant, unit, coordinates, valid hour, update time, averaging context, and whether each value is modeled or observed. A station and a forecast grid can honestly differ because they represent different evidence.
Use official local warnings and public-authority information when conditions are severe or a specific incident is under investigation. AirAgora supports relative forecast planning and cannot determine a universally safe period for every person.
- SO₂ is a gas
- Concentration uses µg/m³
- Provider scale remains OpenWeather 1–5
- Internal severity is not a regulatory AQI
- Main pollutant does not identify a source
Direct answers
Frequently asked questions
What does SO₂ stand for?
SO₂ stands for sulphur dioxide, a gaseous pollutant included in OpenWeather’s modeled outdoor air-quality response.
What unit does OpenWeather use for SO₂?
The Air Pollution API documents SO₂ concentration in micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), separate from its official provider value from 1 to 5.
Does AirAgora measure sulphur dioxide on my street?
No. AirAgora uses a modeled OpenWeather forecast grid. A street, nearby monitor, indoor space, or localized plume can show different conditions.
Can sulphur dioxide be the main pollutant?
Yes. AirAgora can name SO₂ when severity derived from its documented concentration bands is highest for the selected forecast window.
Does the main-pollutant label reveal the source?
No. It identifies the strongest compatible component in the forecast and does not prove what caused the modeled concentration.
Does a lower SO₂ forecast mean the air is safe?
No. It is a relative modeled value, another pollutant may be more important, and AirAgora does not make universal-safety claims.
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.