Worst air pollution Tshikapa, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Tshikapa is fair. PM10 is fair; AQI, PM2.5, NO2, O3, and PM1 are medium; SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 59.9/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Tshikapa is poor. AQI worsens to poor; NO2 increases to poor; SO2 increases to medium; HCHO increases to fair; PM1 increases to poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (NO2: 78.9/100). 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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Tshikapa's air quality reflects the flat Congo Basin Kasai Province's Kasai River diamond mining position at 431 metres, with vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the artisanal diamond mining, charcoal burning, and humanitarian corridor generating elevated mineral dust PM10 alongside black carbon. The equatorial climate's frequent convective rain provides periodic cleansing, while dry season biomass burning from surrounding savanna fires contributes regional background throughout most of the year.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 23:00

AQI:

Medium

59.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

53.6/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

27.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Medium

54.3/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

53.3/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

17.8/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.1/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

14.6/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Medium

59.9/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 23:00

AQI:

Poor

78.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

56.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

29.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Poor

78.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

45.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Medium

41.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.1/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

20.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

62.9/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Tshikapa right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Tshikapa is fair. PM10 is the main pollutant at 27.3/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 59.9/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Tshikapa?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Tshikapa will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at poor at 78.9/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (NO2: 78.9/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Tshikapa?

Air quality in Tshikapa tends to be worse when traffic emissions, mining operations, and charcoal and wood-burning build up and dry spells bring strong winds. Strong seasonal winds can lift dust from the surrounding dry terrain and push particulate levels sharply higher. Residential heating through the colder months is a major seasonal source of particulates.

Are air quality levels in Tshikapa 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