Worst air pollution Cork, today and tomorrow

On 21 July 2026, overall air quality in Cork is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 39.8/100. Pollution peaks around 3:00 AM (NO2: 39.8/100).

On 22 July 2026, air quality conditions in Cork will be similar to today, with O3 forecast at fair at 29.3/100. Pollution peaks around 6:00 AM (NO2: 43.2/100).

Throughout the year, air quality in Cork rises and falls with the seasons, shaped by its position on the River Lee in the country's south. The near-constant Atlantic wind and rain keep pollution levels low most of the year, apart from still winter nights when traffic and home-heating smoke can build up. Atlantic weather systems pass through frequently enough that pollution rarely lingers for long.

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.

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.