Worst air pollution Qaraghandy, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Qaraghandy is fair. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, and SO2 are fair; CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (O3: 29.8/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Qaraghandy is fair. PM2.5 decreases to good; PM10 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 36.7/100). 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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Qaraghandy's air quality reflects the flat Kazakhstan central steppe plateau at 554 metres, with vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the coal mining, Karaganda Steel, and Soviet industrial legacy corridor generating elevated coal dust PM10 and industrial PM2.5. Winter residential coal and gas heating extensively compounds mining and steel industrial emissions under severe anticyclonic inversions, while summer conditions are considerably better and Qaraghandy maintains Kazakhstan's most distinctively coal and steel industrial-defined major metropolitan environment throughout the year.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 09:00

AQI:

Fair

29.8/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

25.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

20.4/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

21.7/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

29.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

29.5/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

5.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

15.0/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 13:00

AQI:

Fair

36.7/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

16.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

6.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

24.6/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

36.7/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

30.1/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

5.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

13.5/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Qaraghandy right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Qaraghandy is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 29.8/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (O3: 29.8/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Qaraghandy?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Qaraghandy will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 36.7/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 36.7/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Qaraghandy?

The biggest local contributors to pollution in Qaraghandy are vehicle traffic, heavy industry such as steel, cement, or petrochemical processing, and mining operations, particularly once dry, windy weather picks up. These wind events can carry dust in from the surrounding arid landscape. Fuel burned for winter heating adds an extra layer of particulates on top of other sources.

Are air quality levels in Qaraghandy 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