Worst air pollution Cancún, today and tomorrow
Today (23 August): Air quality in Cancún is very poor. AQI, PM2.5, and PM10 are very poor; PM1 is fair; NO2, O3, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (PM10: 100/100).
Tomorrow (24 August 2026): Air quality in Cancún is very poor. PM2.5 decreases to poor; PM1 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 6:00 PM (PM10: 100/100). 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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Cancún's air quality benefits from its exceptional Caribbean Sea and Nichupté Lagoon coastal position, with consistent Caribbean northeast trade winds providing reliable and powerful maritime ventilation along this famous Mexican resort coast. Vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the concentrated tourism and hospitality operations contribute local sources, while the outstanding Caribbean coastal exposure and the consistent trade wind geometry generally maintain Cancún among Mexico's cleaner major coastal resort environments throughout most of the year.
Today - 23 August | Pollution peaks at 17:00
AQI:
Very poor
100/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Very poor
87.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Very poor
100/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.5/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
15.8/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.1/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
23.5/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 24 August | Pollution peaks at 18:00
AQI:
Very poor
100/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Poor
67.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Very poor
100/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
16.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.8/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
17.6/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Cancún right now?
On 23 August 2026, overall air quality in Cancún is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 100/100. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (PM10: 100/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Cancún?
On 24 August 2026, air quality conditions in Cancún will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 100/100. Pollution peaks around 6:00 PM (PM10: 100/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Cancún?
Air quality in Cancún tends to be worse when traffic on the surrounding roads along with seasonal tourism traffic build up and maritime winds die down. Onshore breezes usually help clear the air, but pollution can build up when winds are light. This natural ventilation is one reason coastal areas often see better readings than inland cities.
Are air quality levels in Cancún 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.
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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 24 August 2026 at 02:28 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.
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