Worst air pollution Cooktown, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Cooktown is good. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 19.3/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Cooktown is good. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (O3: 19.9/100). 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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Isolated at the edge of Cape York, Cooktown benefits from its remoteness and exposure to steady trade winds, which keep the air fresh for most of the year. Dry-season months, roughly June through October, bring the town's main air quality challenge: drifting smoke from managed savanna burning and occasional wildfires across the surrounding bushland. The wet season, November to April, swings conditions toward heavy humidity, mould, and cyclone risk rather than smoke. Short build-up periods before the wet can bring dust and haze. Away from these seasonal patterns, Cooktown's background air is generally clean, reflecting its sparsely populated tropical setting.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 07:00
AQI:
Good
19.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
5.4/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
2.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
19.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.6/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
2.0/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 16:00
AQI:
Good
19.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
4.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
1.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
19.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.9/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
1.8/100
Pollen forecast in Cooktown
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Cooktown right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Cooktown is good. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 19.3/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 19.3/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Cooktown?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Cooktown will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at good at 19.9/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (O3: 19.9/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Cooktown?
Cooktown's worst air days tend to cluster around the build-up and dry season stretch, when savanna burning sends a persistent smoky haze across the north from roughly June through October. During the wet, smoke eases but humidity climbs and cyclone season brings its own risks. Keeping half an eye on forecasts during that stretch is the practical takeaway otherwise.
Are air quality levels in Cooktown 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.
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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 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.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app