Worst air pollution Dhanbād, today and tomorrow

Today (22 September): Air quality in Dhanbād is very poor. AQI, NO2, and PM1 are very poor; PM2.5 and SO2 are poor; PM10 is moderate; O3 is fair; CO and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 6:30 PM (NO2: 88.9/100).
Tomorrow (23 September 2026): Air quality in Dhanbād is very poor. PM2.5 decreases to fair; PM10 decreases to good; O3 decreases to good; SO2 decreases to moderate; PM1 decreases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 5:30 PM (NO2: 83.7/100). 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.

Dhanbād's air quality faces significant challenges from the Jharkhand Damodar River valley's coal mining position, with the Jharia and Raniganj coalfields generating elevated coal dust PM10 alongside the extraordinary underground coal seam fires burning for over a century creating a unique continuous SO₂ and particulate emission source. The Damodar valley provides limited ventilation, while the perennial underground coal fires represent Dhanbad's most historically distinctive and irreplaceable air quality challenge throughout the year.

Today - 22 September | Pollution peaks at 18:30

AQI:

Very poor

88.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Poor

63.9/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

46.8/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Very poor

88.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

23.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Poor

60.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

8.9/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

14.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Very poor

82.3/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 23 September | Pollution peaks at 17:30

AQI:

Very poor

83.7/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

34.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

18.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Very poor

83.7/100

O3 (ozone):

Good

7.3/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Moderate

44.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.2/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

4.9/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Moderate

43.2/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Dhanbād right now?

On 22 September 2026, overall air quality in Dhanbād is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 88.9/100. Pollution peaks around 6:30 PM (NO2: 88.9/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Dhanbād?

On 23 September 2026, air quality conditions in Dhanbād will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 83.7/100. Pollution peaks around 5:30 PM (NO2: 83.7/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Dhanbād?

The biggest local contributor to pollution in Dhanbād is quarrying activity, particularly once dry spells bring strong winds. These wind events can carry dust in from the surrounding arid landscape. Coal and wood used for winter heating add substantially to particulate levels.

Are air quality levels in Dhanbād 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.

Check air quality in other popular cities:

Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 22 September 2026 at 20:32 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.