#GOOGLE MAPS. UPDATE#

“Just because the sky looks fairly clear, the air quality can still be fairly poor,” Dr. In general, air quality is not something you can eyeball. No Googling required! Air quality is broken down into easy-to-understand ratings like “good,” “moderate,” and “poor.” Then click the layers button in the upper-right-hand corner, and tap the layer you want to see.

#GOOGLE MAPS. UPDATE#

To show these layers, update Google Maps to the latest version of the app. “You can imagine that if you’re planning a day outdoors and see that the forecast or air quality will be poor, you could then use Google search and maps to find an alternate activity.”įor similar reasons, Google’s also added a wildfire layer to maps that will show you where wildfires are in your area, which may be another indication to avoid exercising outside. User feedback helped drive this latest update to the app, according to Hema Budaraju, a senior director of product in health & search social impact at Google. “We’ve heard from many of our users that when they’re researching places to go and things to do, they’d also like to get a clearer picture of the weather and air quality before deciding to go somewhere,” she says. The new feature lets you see the Air Quality Index score, something the EPA and other organizations measure at local levels all over the country, without needing to, well, Google “AQI near me.” Fortunately, Google recently made the ability to check super easy by releasing a new air quality layer in its app. Buhr says that when you hear about a wildfire or heavy pollution day, it’s definitely worth checking the air quality outside to see whether you may be better served by working out indoors. However, rates of air pollution are increasing, and Dr.

Google maps.