Worst air pollution Playa del Carmen, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Playa del Carmen is very poor. AQI and PM10 are very poor; PM2.5 is poor; O3 is fair; NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 1:00 AM (PM10: 84.8/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Playa del Carmen is poor. AQI improves to poor; PM2.5 decreases to medium; PM10 decreases to poor; O3 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 6:00 AM (PM10: 65.7/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
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Playa del Carmen's air quality benefits from its exceptional Caribbean Sea coastal position on the Yucatan Peninsula's Riviera Maya, with consistent northeast Caribbean trade winds providing reliable and powerful maritime ventilation. Vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the concentrated tourism, resort, and services corridor contribute seasonal local sources, while the outstanding Caribbean coastal exposure and the consistent trade wind geometry generally maintain Playa del Carmen among Mexico's cleaner major coastal resort environments throughout most of the year.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 01:00
AQI:
Very poor
84.8/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Poor
60.1/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Very poor
84.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
22.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
15.7/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 06:00
AQI:
Poor
65.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
45.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Poor
65.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
18.8/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.6/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
9.3/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Playa del Carmen right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Playa del Carmen is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 84.8/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 AM (PM10: 84.8/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Playa del Carmen?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Playa del Carmen will be better than today, with AQI forecast at poor at 65.7/100. Pollution peaks around 6:00 AM (PM10: 65.7/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Playa del Carmen?
Air quality in Playa del Carmen tends to be worse when traffic emissions together with tourism-related traffic build up and onshore breezes fall calm. Maritime airflow normally ventilates the area well, though calmer spells let levels rise. Areas further inland without this ventilation tend to fare worse.
Are air quality levels in Playa del Carmen 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