Illinois · AirNow reporting area
Rockford, IL air quality
The Air Quality Index in Rockford is 63 (Moderate) as of 4:00 AM CDT on Wed, Oct 28, with Fine particles (PM2.5) as the main pollutant. Today's forecast: Moderate (PM2.5). Tomorrow: Moderate (PM2.5). Preliminary data from the EPA AirNow program, reported by Illinois EPA.
Current AQI
AQI now
63Moderate4:00 AM CDT, Wed, Oct 28
By pollutant
- PM2.5: 63Moderate
- Ozone: 31Good
Yesterday's highest AQI
61ModeratePM2.5, Tue, Oct 27
What this AQI means for your health
Moderate (AQI 51–100). Air quality is acceptable for most people. A small number of people who are unusually sensitive to this pollutant may notice effects. If you are unusually sensitive, consider making long or intense outdoor activity shorter or less intense.
Sensitive groups for PM2.5 include people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, children and teenagers.
These are general guidelines based on EPA's AQI categories, written in our own words. See the full AQI scale.
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Air quality forecast
Daily AQI forecast issued by Illinois EPA. Some areas forecast a category without a number.
| Day | Forecast | Pollutants |
|---|---|---|
| Today, Wed, Oct 28 | Moderate | PM2.5 Moderate · Ozone Good |
| Tomorrow, Thu, Oct 29 | Moderate | PM2.5 Moderate · Ozone Good |
| Fri, Oct 30 | Moderate | PM2.5 Moderate · Ozone Good |
Monitor readings
Latest hourly NowCast AQI at 2 monitors assigned to or near this area. NowCast weighs recent hours more heavily so it reacts faster to changes. Distance is from the area's center point.
| Monitor | Hour | PM2.5 AQI | Ozone AQI | PM10 AQI | PM2.5 µg/m³ | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROCK_LP | 3 AM | — | 29 | — | — | 0 |
| Rockford | 3 AM | 62 | — | — | 14 | 5 |
Last 12 hours
Highest hourly NowCast AQI among the monitors above, for each hour (CDT).
| Hour starting | PM2.5 AQI | Ozone AQI | PM10 AQI | Monitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 AM | 62 | 29 | — | 2 |
| 2 AM | 63 | 31 | — | 2 |
| 1 AM | 65 | 32 | — | 2 |
| 12 AM | 69 | 31 | — | 2 |
| 11 PM | 72 | 29 | — | 2 |
| 10 PM | 76 | 28 | — | 2 |
| 9 PM | 85 | 27 | — | 2 |
| 8 PM | 96 | 25 | — | 2 |
| 7 PM | 94 | 26 | — | 2 |
| 6 PM | 81 | 26 | — | 2 |
| 5 PM | 61 | 28 | — | 2 |
| 4 PM | 56 | 30 | — | 2 |
Hourly monitor values from AirNow HourlyAQObs files, latest hour Oct 28, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT. Single-hour readings can be missing or revised.
Protecting yourself on bad air days
When the AQI is high, spend less time being active outdoors, keep windows closed if the outdoor air is worse than indoors, and run a portable HEPA air cleaner or your central system with a high-efficiency filter (MERV 13 or higher if your system can handle it). When fine particles or smoke are the problem, a well-fitted N95 respirator gives much better protection than a cloth or surgical mask. Read more on our wildfire smoke page.
Shopping for an air cleaner? Compare air purifiers on OpenPicks, our sister site.
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Sources
- Current AQI, yesterday's maximum and forecasts: U.S. EPA AirNow reporting area file (files.airnowtech.org), as of Oct 28, 2026, 5:12 AM EDT.
- Monitor readings: AirNow HourlyAQObs files (hourly NowCast AQI and raw concentrations).
- Reporting agencies: Illinois EPA. These agencies own the data and are the authority for forecasts and advisories.
- Values are shown as received from AirNow. See AirNow partners for the full list of agencies.
Preliminary data. AirNow readings and forecasts come from federal, state, local and tribal air quality agencies. They are not fully verified, may change, and must not be used for regulatory or official decisions; official data are in EPA's Air Quality System. For the latest official readings and advisories, check AirNow.gov and your state or local air agency.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have symptoms or a health condition, follow your doctor's guidance.
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