Thrissur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

Kerala, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5

Thrissur AQI Right Now

83

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 31.38 µg/m³

PM10: 82.85 µg/m³

Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.

Thrissur Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.531.38 µg/m³
PM1082.85 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)15.63 µg/m³
NO₂11.57 µg/m³
SO₂0.23 µg/m³
CO253.27 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Thrissur

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Thrissur

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.4 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.14 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Thrissur

  • General Population: Acceptable air quality. Unusually sensitive people should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
  • Elderly: Minor breathing discomfort is possible.
  • Children: Should be fine outdoors with normal activities.
  • Lung Disease Patients: Consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.

Understanding Thrissur Air Quality

Thrissur, known as the cultural capital of Kerala, enjoys some of the best baseline air quality among Indian cities thanks to its tropical climate, abundant rainfall (3,000+ mm annually), and dense vegetation. However, the city harbours two unique pollution sources that set it apart: the famed Thrissur Pooram festival creates one of India's most intense short-duration air pollution events, with massive competitive fireworks displays (vedikkettu) lasting hours and producing extreme PM2.5 spikes that can temporarily exceed 500 µg/m³ in the Thekkinkadu Maidan vicinity.

The city's second distinctive feature is its gold jewellery manufacturing cluster. Thrissur district is Kerala's - and one of India's - largest gold processing hubs. Thousands of small-scale jewellery workshops in the Chembukkavu, Patturaikkal, and Ayyanthole areas generate fine metallic particulate matter from soldering, polishing, and refining operations. Workers in these units face occupational exposure to gold, silver, copper, and cadmium dust, though ambient neighbourhood impacts are localised.

The dry months from December through March see the highest routine pollution levels, though "highest" for Thrissur still translates to Satisfactory AQI for most days - a stark contrast to northern Indian cities. The southwest monsoon (June–September) delivers torrential rainfall that keeps air pristine, with AQI consistently in the Good range. Even during the dry months, Kerala's lush green cover and moderate coastal climate ensure that air quality rarely deteriorates beyond the Moderate category except during localised events like Pooram or construction-site proximity.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Construction dust
  • Festival emissions (Thrissur Pooram fireworks)
  • Gold jewellery workshop emissions
  • Waste burning

Geography: Central Kerala on higher ground; cultural capital of Kerala, gold jewellery manufacturing hub, tropical with good rainfall

Peak pollution months: December, January, February, March

Frequently Asked Questions — Thrissur

What is the most polluted month in Thrissur?

January and February are the months with the highest routine pollution levels, though AQI typically remains in the Satisfactory range (NAQI 50–100). However, the single worst air quality day occurs during Thrissur Pooram (usually April/May), when competitive fireworks displays create extreme short-duration PM2.5 spikes exceeding 500 µg/m³ near the venue.

What causes air pollution in Thrissur?

Thrissur's modest pollution comes from vehicular exhaust in the congested old city, gold jewellery workshop emissions (metallic dust from soldering and polishing), construction dust, road dust, and waste burning. The annual Thrissur Pooram fireworks create a dramatic but brief air quality event. Overall, Thrissur enjoys excellent air quality thanks to Kerala's heavy rainfall and dense vegetation.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities