Worst air pollution Lubumbashi, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Lubumbashi is fair. AQI, O3, and SO2 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (SO2: 31.2/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Lubumbashi is fair. PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (O3: 31.3/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Use our Strava plugin to check your own exposure.
Lubumbashi's air quality reflects the flat Katanga Plateau's copper mining position at 1,267 metres in the Congo-Zambia mineral corridor, with vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the extraordinary copper smelting, cobalt mining, and industrial corridor generating elevated heavy metal PM2.5 and SO₂. The elevated plateau position aids dispersal on most days, while the smelting operations' distinctive heavy metal particulate makes Lubumbashi Africa's most distinctively copper and cobalt mining-defined urban air quality environment throughout the year.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Fair
31.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
12.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
3.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
5.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
29.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
31.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
11.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
16.7/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 16:00
AQI:
Fair
31.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
14.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
3.9/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
7.1/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
31.1/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
12.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
20.0/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Lubumbashi right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Lubumbashi is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 31.2/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (SO2: 31.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Lubumbashi?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Lubumbashi will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 31.3/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (O3: 31.3/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Lubumbashi?
Lubumbashi usually sees its poorest air quality when traffic on the surrounding roads as well as mining operations coincide with periods when dry, windy weather picks up. Dust carried on these winds adds substantially to particulate levels. This is most noticeable during spring and autumn wind events.
Are air quality levels in Lubumbashi 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.
Check air quality in other popular cities:
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