Worst air pollution Al Başrah, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Al Başrah is fair. SO2 is fair; AQI, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 are medium; NO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 5:00 AM (PM10: 47.2/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Al Başrah is poor. AQI worsens to poor; O3 increases to poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (O3: 64.0/100). 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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Al Başrah's air quality reflects the flat Iraqi Shatt al-Arab waterway position at 5 metres adjacent to the Kuwait border, with vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the extraordinary oil export infrastructure, refinery, and vehicle density corridor generating elevated PM2.5 and SO₂. Shamal winds deliver intense Iraqi and Kuwait Desert dust storms, while the oil infrastructure's pervasive industrial background and the flat Mesopotamian terrain maintain Basra among the Middle East's more petroleum-influenced major port city environments throughout the year.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 05:00

AQI:

Medium

47.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

44.7/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Medium

47.2/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

17.0/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

46.4/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

22.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

4.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

14.7/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 11:00

AQI:

Poor

64.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

41.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Medium

45.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

17.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Poor

64.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

28.1/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

5.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

18.4/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Al Başrah right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Al Başrah is fair. SO2 is the main pollutant at 22.7/100. Pollution peaks around 5:00 AM (PM10: 47.2/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Al Başrah?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Al Başrah will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at poor at 64.0/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (O3: 64.0/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Al Başrah?

The biggest local contributors to pollution in Al Başrah are road traffic, heavy industry such as steel, cement, or petrochemical processing, together with harbour and shipping traffic, particularly once windblown dust events occur. Dust carried on these winds adds substantially to particulate levels. These episodes tend to cluster in spring and autumn.

Are air quality levels in Al Başrah 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