Southeast Asia smoke and air quality
Five-day air-quality forecast for the region's main cities, current fires and unhealthy-air events, and the rainfall outlook that decides how long the dry season lasts.
Where it stands
The worst forecast day in the region is 15 November 2026 in Bekasi, Indonesia, with an air-quality index of 189 (Unhealthy).
3 of 11 countries have at least one city forecast to reach a level that is unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
The rainfall outlook further down shows where the coming season leans drier, which gives fires more days to spread.
| Highest index | 189 (Unhealthy) |
|---|---|
| City | Bekasi, Indonesia |
| Countries covered | 11 |
| Forecast run | 2026-11-14 00 UTC |
Worst forecast day by country
| Country | Worst forecast day | City | Air-quality index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 15 November 2026 | Bekasi | 189 Unhealthy |
| Vietnam | 15 November 2026 | Ho Chi Minh City | 127 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups |
| Myanmar | 16 November 2026 | Mandalay | 106 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups |
| Malaysia | 17 November 2026 | Kuala Lumpur | 99 Moderate |
| Thailand | 18 November 2026 | Bangkok | 79 Moderate |
| Cambodia | 18 November 2026 | Phnom Penh | 75 Moderate |
| Lao PDR | 16 November 2026 | Vientiane | 65 Moderate |
| Singapore | 17 November 2026 | Singapore | 63 Moderate |
| Philippines | 17 November 2026 | Manila | 62 Moderate |
| Timor-Leste | 15 November 2026 | Dili | 46 Good |
| Brunei Darussalam | 18 November 2026 | Bandar Seri Begawan | 36 Good |
Daily average fine particles (PM2.5) on the US EPA scale, next five days. Source: Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, run 2026-11-14 00 UTC.
Fires and unhealthy-air events in the region
- Air qualityAdvisoryUnhealthy air forecast in Hanoi, Vietnam. Reading: AQI 156 on 2026-11-14. Started 14 November 2026.Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring ServiceUpdated 14 Nov, 00:00 UTC
- Air qualityAdvisoryUnhealthy air forecast in Surabaya, Indonesia. Reading: AQI 168 on 2026-11-18. Started 16 November 2026.Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring ServiceUpdated 14 Nov, 00:00 UTC
- Air qualityAdvisoryUnhealthy air forecast in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reading: AQI 159 on 2026-11-17. Started 14 November 2026.Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring ServiceUpdated 14 Nov, 00:00 UTC
- Air qualityAdvisoryUnhealthy air forecast in Bekasi, Indonesia. Reading: AQI 189 on 2026-11-15. Started 14 November 2026.Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring ServiceUpdated 14 Nov, 00:00 UTC
- Air qualityAdvisoryUnhealthy air forecast in Bandung, Indonesia. Reading: AQI 168 on 2026-11-16. Started 14 November 2026.Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring ServiceUpdated 14 Nov, 00:00 UTC
Not an official alert. Events from GDACS, NASA EONET and the Copernicus air-quality forecast. Being listed here does not mean an event was caused by El Niño.
Rainfall outlook, December–February
A drier season means more days on which fires can spread.
| Country | Rainfall, December–February | Drier / normal / wetter | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei Darussalam | Likely drier | >95% · <5% · <5% | Likely warmer |
| Cambodia | Likely drier | 65% · 27% · 8% | Likely warmer |
| Indonesia | Leaning wetter | 18% · 39% · 43% | Likely warmer |
| Lao PDR | No clear signal | 29% · 38% · 33% | Likely warmer |
| Malaysia | Likely drier | 94% · 6% · <5% | Likely warmer |
| Myanmar | Leaning drier | 41% · 39% · 20% | Likely warmer |
| Philippines | Likely drier | >95% · <5% · <5% | Likely warmer |
| Singapore | Likely wetter | <5% · 31% · 67% | Likely warmer |
| Thailand | No clear signal | 35% · 45% · 20% | Likely warmer |
| Timor-Leste | Likely drier | 61% · 25% · 14% | Likely warmer |
| Vietnam | Likely drier | 61% · 31% · 8% | Likely warmer |
Source: Copernicus Climate Change Service seasonal forecast, issued November 2026. World outlook map
Data and citation
- Air quality: Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, run 2026-11-14 00 UTC.
- Seasonal outlook: Copernicus Climate Change Service, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) seasonal forecasts, ECMWF system 51.
- Events: GDACS, NASA EONET.
Cite as: “Southeast Asia smoke and air quality”, How's the Climate, https://howstheclimate.org/situations/southeast-asia-air-quality/, version of 15 November 2026.