Worst air pollution Mbandaka, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Mbandaka is fair. AQI, O3, and PM1 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (O3: 33.7/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Mbandaka is fair. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 34.0/100). 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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Mbandaka's air quality reflects the flat Congo Basin equatorial position at 311 metres on the Congo River, with vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the charcoal burning, fishing, and agricultural corridor contributing local sources. The equatorial climate's extraordinary rainfall provides highly effective atmospheric cleansing, while the surrounding Congo rainforest creates the world's most extraordinary natural air filtration context and Mbandaka generally maintains among Africa's cleaner major river city environments outside dry season biomass burning periods.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 15:00

AQI:

Fair

33.7/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

19.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

5.1/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

1.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

33.7/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

18.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

25.2/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 12:00

AQI:

Fair

34.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

16.9/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

4.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

1.3/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

34.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

17.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

23.0/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Mbandaka right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Mbandaka is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 33.7/100. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (O3: 33.7/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Mbandaka?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Mbandaka will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 34.0/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 34.0/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Mbandaka?

In Mbandaka, vehicle traffic, farming and agricultural processing, together with charcoal and wood-burning are the main local sources, with conditions worsening when the colder winter months arrive. Residential heating through the colder months is a major seasonal source of particulates. This is far less of a factor once the heating season ends.

Are air quality levels in Mbandaka 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