Worst air pollution Balfour, today and tomorrow
Today (9 August): Air quality in Balfour is poor. AQI and O3 are poor; HCHO is fair; PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and PM1 are medium; PM10 and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (O3: 63.2/100).
Tomorrow (10 August 2026): Air quality in Balfour is fair. AQI improves to medium; PM2.5 decreases to good; NO2 increases to fair; O3 decreases to good; PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (SO2: 40.4/100). 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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Balfour lies roughly 270 km west-southwest of Nelspruit. Vehicle traffic and coal mining and power station operations together shape most of what happens to air quality at Balfour, sitting as it does on the open Highveld plateau. Winter's still, cold mornings are when the two combine most noticeably, before summer's stronger winds take over and clear things out. This is roughly what you'd expect anywhere on the open plateau.
Today - 9 August | Pollution peaks at 14:00
AQI:
Poor
63.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
46.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
19.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
45.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Poor
63.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Medium
49.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
31.9/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Medium
51.9/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 10 August | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Medium
40.4/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
19.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
5.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
23.1/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
18.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Medium
40.4/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
20.2/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
25.3/100
Pollen forecast in Balfour
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Balfour right now?
On 9 August 2026, overall air quality in Balfour is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 63.2/100. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (O3: 63.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Balfour?
On 10 August 2026, air quality conditions in Balfour will be better than today, with PM1 forecast at fair at 25.3/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (SO2: 40.4/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Balfour?
Ask anyone at Balfour and they'll say winter mornings are when the air is at its worst, as coal mining and power station operations and local traffic emissions sit trapped under a still, cold inversion layer. Spring and summer bring the wind and rain that usually clears things up again. This is a familiar pattern across much of the Highveld.
Are air quality levels in Balfour 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: 9 August 2026 at 20:27 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.
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