Worst air pollution Manuka Oval - Canberra, today and tomorrow
Today (25 August): Air quality in Manuka Oval is fair. AQI and NO2 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (NO2: 34.7/100).
Tomorrow (26 August 2026): Air quality in Manuka Oval is moderate. AQI worsens to moderate; NO2 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (NO2: 43.4/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
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Within easy walking distance of the Parliamentary Triangle, Manuka Oval sits in inner Canberra, a city whose bowl-shaped geography is notorious for trapping cold air and wood smoke on still winter nights. That basin effect means Canberra's winter air quality can dip noticeably during temperature inversions, even though the wider region enjoys clean conditions for much of the year. Summer brings the opposite seasonal risk, with bushfire smoke capable of blanketing the capital during the December to March fire season, a pattern the ground has experienced firsthand in some of the more severe fire years.
Today - 25 August | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Fair
34.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
7.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
2.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
34.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
15.8/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
5.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
8.5/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 26 August | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Moderate
43.4/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
6.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
1.9/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
43.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
15.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
6.4/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
9.6/100
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Manuka Oval right now?
On 25 August 2026, overall air quality in Manuka Oval is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 34.7/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (NO2: 34.7/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Manuka Oval?
On 26 August 2026, air quality conditions in Manuka Oval will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 43.4/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (NO2: 43.4/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Manuka Oval?
A full day at Manuka Oval is most likely to be affected by haze during hot, dry summer stretches (December-March), when bushfire smoke is the dominant risk. A second dip comes in winter, when still nights trap wood-heater smoke near ground level. Outside that period, conditions are usually fine for a full day outside.
Are air quality levels in Manuka Oval based on measurements or forecasts?
It is forecasts derived by downscaling forecasts provided by EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) by taking into account local conditions such as traffic patterns. CAMS bases its forecast on satellite measurements of particles and chemical compounds in the atmosphere. Airmine’s services were developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team.
Why doesn’t the forecast always reflect wildfire impacts?
Airmine’s forecast uses CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) as its background atmospheric model. While CAMS includes wildfire emissions, these are derived from satellite observations and are not available in real time. During rapidly evolving wildfire events, there may therefore be a delay before increased emissions are incorporated into the model. As a result, the forecast may temporarily underestimate PM₂.₅ and other pollutants associated with wildfire smoke.
During rapidly evolving wildfire events, CAMS may lag by approximately 1–2 days before increased wildfire emissions are fully represented, which can lead to temporary underestimation of PM₂.₅ concentrations in Airmine’s forecast.
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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 24 August 2026 at 20:27 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)
This forecast is produced independently using Airmine's own atmospheric data and models.
Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibility.
Disclaimer: Forecasts are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. Actual pollen and air quality conditions may vary from the forecast. If you have allergies, asthma, or another medical condition, consult a healthcare professional. Please see our Terms of Service for important information about limitations of liability.
Some text on this page may be generated or summarised using artificial intelligence (AI). Wherever possible, AI-generated content is enriched with Airmine's proprietary data to improve its accuracy and relevance. However, AI-generated content may still contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.
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