Worst air pollution Lanzhou, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Lanzhou is very poor. AQI and NO2 are very poor; PM2.5 and PM1 are fair; O3 and SO2 are medium; PM10, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (NO2: 84.0/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Lanzhou is very poor. PM2.5 decreases to medium; PM10 increases to medium; PM1 decreases to medium; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 2:00 AM (NO2: 93.2/100). 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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Lanzhou's air quality reflects the Yellow River valley's severe topographic enclosure between the Qilian and Liupan mountain ranges at 1,520 metres, with vehicle traffic on surrounding expressways and the petrochemical, aluminium, and nuclear energy corridor generating elevated industrial SO₂. The valley's near-complete mountain wall creates some of northwestern China's most severe winter pollution trapping, while the Yellow River's valley humidity and the petrochemical scale maintain Lanzhou among China's more severely topographically challenged inland provincial capitals throughout the winter months.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Very poor
84.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
30.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
13.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Very poor
84.0/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
45.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Medium
43.3/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
3.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
37.9/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 02:00
AQI:
Very poor
93.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
44.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Medium
48.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Very poor
93.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
54.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Medium
44.9/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Medium
48.5/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Lanzhou right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Lanzhou is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 84.0/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (NO2: 84.0/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Lanzhou?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Lanzhou will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 93.2/100. Pollution peaks around 2:00 AM (NO2: 93.2/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Lanzhou?
In Lanzhou, traffic on the surrounding roads, petrochemical and refining operations, as well as power generation are the main local sources, with conditions worsening when windblown dust events occur. These wind events can carry dust in from the surrounding arid landscape. These episodes tend to cluster in spring and autumn.
Are air quality levels in Lanzhou 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