Worst air pollution Ürümqi, today and tomorrow
Today (9 August): Air quality in Ürümqi is poor. AQI, PM10, and O3 are poor; SO2 and PM1 are fair; PM2.5 and NO2 are medium; CO and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (PM10: 69.7/100).
Tomorrow (10 August 2026): Air quality in Ürümqi is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to poor; PM10 increases to very poor; O3 decreases to medium; SO2 decreases to medium; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 6:00 AM (PM10: 91.3/100). 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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Ürümqi's air quality reflects the Xinjiang Tian Shan mountain basin's enclosed position at 680 metres, with vehicle traffic on surrounding expressways and the coal mining, petrochemical, and industrial corridor generating elevated industrial SO₂ under severe winter inversions. The Tian Shan's near-complete mountain wall creates some of China's most extreme winter pollution trapping, while the arid continental climate generates windblown desert dust from the Taklamakan and Gobi and Ürümqi maintains among China's more severely seasonally challenged provincial capitals throughout the winter months.
Today - 9 August | Pollution peaks at 16:00
AQI:
Poor
69.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
48.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Poor
69.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
47.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Poor
63.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
34.4/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
21.5/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 10 August | Pollution peaks at 06:00
AQI:
Very poor
91.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Poor
69.1/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Very poor
91.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
54.6/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
41.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Medium
40.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
28.8/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Ürümqi right now?
On 9 August 2026, overall air quality in Ürümqi is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 69.7/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (PM10: 69.7/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Ürümqi?
On 10 August 2026, air quality conditions in Ürümqi will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 91.3/100. Pollution peaks around 6:00 AM (PM10: 91.3/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Ürümqi?
Air quality in Ürümqi tends to be worse when vehicle traffic, petrochemical and refining operations, together with mining and quarrying operations build up and calm, stagnant conditions settle in the surrounding valley. The bowl-like terrain here limits how quickly pollutants can escape. Strong seasonal winds can lift dust from the surrounding dry terrain and push particulate levels sharply higher.
Are air quality levels in Ürümqi 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: 9 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.
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