Air Quality Warnings in Costa Rica
Air Quality Warnings for Costa Rica (Central America) come from Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE). This page explains what these warnings mean, which authority publishes them, and how to check the current status for San José.
Check live smog, status for San JoséBrowse all warnings
At a glance
- countryCosta Rica · North America
- reference citySan José (9.93, -84.08)
- emergencyPrimary emergency number911
- risk profilestorm, flood, landslide, earthquake, volcano, tsunami, drought
What counts as a air quality warnings
Air quality warnings are issued when particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide or sulphur dioxide reach levels that harm health, or when Saharan dust, wildfire smoke or winter smog episodes push concentrations up. Values are usually published as an air quality index, but the index scale and its breakpoints differ from country to country.
Who issues air quality warnings in Costa Rica
- meteoInstituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN)
- civilComisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE)
Warning levels, colours and terminology are set nationally. Always read the warning text of the issuing authority: it names the affected districts, the expected time window and the recommended action.
If a warning is active in Costa Rica
- Ventilate in the early morning on smog days and keep windows shut at peak hours.
- Avoid strenuous outdoor exercise when the index is high.
- Wear a well-fitted FFP2 or N95 mask if you must be outdoors in smoke or dust.
Where the data comes from
Waarning reads public, key-free sources for Costa Rica: Open-Meteo Air Quality, Copernicus CAMS, national environment agencies, national pollen services. Measurements and official warnings are shown separately, and official warnings always keep the name of the authority that issued them.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues air quality warnings in Costa Rica?
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE). Waarning does not issue warnings; it aggregates the public feeds of these bodies and links back to the original source.
What is the emergency number in Costa Rica?
The primary emergency number is 911. Use it for a life-threatening situation; for non-urgent reports use the local police station number.
Does Waarning show live air quality warnings for Costa Rica?
Yes. The dashboard loads the current values for San José from Open-Meteo Air Quality, Copernicus CAMS, national environment agencies, national pollen services. You can open it with one click and the location is already set.
More warnings for Costa Rica
- Severe Weather Warnings
- Flood Warnings
- Drought Warnings
- Earthquake Alerts
- Volcano Alerts
- Tsunami Warnings
Air Quality Warnings in nearby countries
Generated 2026-10-18. Waarning is not an official warning service; in an emergency follow local authorities and emergency services.