Worst air pollution Essen, today and tomorrow
Today (23 August): Air quality in Essen is fair. AQI, NO2, and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (O3: 23.9/100).
Tomorrow (24 August 2026): Air quality in Essen is fair. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (O3: 28.6/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
Get the full experience in the Airmine app.
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Follow your pollen exposure and performance with the free Airmine–Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.
Essen's air quality reflects its position at the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr conurbation, with legacy steel and mining emissions combining with heavy traffic on the A40 and A52 corridors to generate elevated NO₂ and PM2.5. The flat Ruhr basin provides reasonable dispersal, but the density of industrial and traffic sources keeps pollution above-average for Europe.
Today - 23 August | Pollution peaks at 17:00
AQI:
Fair
23.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
9.1/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
3.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
23.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
23.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
7.3/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.4/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
8.8/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 24 August | Pollution peaks at 17:00
AQI:
Fair
28.6/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
10.7/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
3.5/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
23.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
28.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
3.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
11.3/100
Pollen forecast in Essen
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Essen right now?
On 23 August 2026, overall air quality in Essen is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 23.9/100. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (O3: 23.9/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Essen?
On 24 August 2026, air quality conditions in Essen will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 28.6/100. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (O3: 28.6/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Essen?
Air quality dips in Essen mostly track maple, plane, and ash pollen peaks and calm, hot days when local sources build up; regional road traffic is a modest local source. Ragweed exposure stays modest in this part of Germany through late summer. Clearer conditions generally arrive on breezier, wetter days.
Are air quality levels in Essen 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.
Want to see air quality forecasts for other cities in Germany?
Check air quality in other popular cities:
Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 23 August 2026 at 20:25 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.
Some text on this page may be generated or summarised using artificial intelligence (AI). Wherever possible, AI-generated content is enriched with Airmine's proprietary data to improve its accuracy and relevance. However, AI-generated content may still contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.
Get the full experience in the Airmine app.