Worst air pollution Melbourne Airport, today and tomorrow

On 17 September 2026, overall air quality in Melbourne Airport is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 45.6/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM2.5: 45.6/100).

On 18 September 2026, air quality conditions in Melbourne Airport will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 45.9/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (PM2.5: 45.9/100).

The colder months typically bring the heaviest particulate levels of the year, driven by heating season smoke that lingers under stagnant, cold winter air. Summer shifts the concern toward bushfire smoke here too, as warm, dry conditions drive both ozone formation and periodic bushfire smoke from the surrounding region. Spring and autumn stand out as the calmest stretch for air quality, thanks to mild temperatures and steady breezes.

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.

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.