Worst air pollution Barberton, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Barberton is fair. AQI, PM2.5, O3, HCHO, and PM1 are fair; PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (O3: 37.8/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Barberton is fair. PM2.5 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (O3: 31.2/100). 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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Barberton lies roughly 40 km south-southeast of Nelspruit. Air quality at Barberton is generally shaped by its bushveld surroundings, where vehicle traffic and sugarcane, timber, and tourism operations are the main local sources of particulate pollution. Calm, dry winter conditions can allow dust and smoke to linger, while summer rains and stronger winds typically restore clearer conditions. This mirrors what's typical for towns across the wider savanna region.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 14:00

AQI:

Fair

37.8/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

20.6/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

5.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.5/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

37.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.8/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

20.4/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

26.4/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 16:00

AQI:

Fair

31.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

18.9/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

5.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.6/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

31.2/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

1.0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

20.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

24.8/100

Pollen forecast in Barberton

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Barberton right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Barberton is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 37.8/100. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (O3: 37.8/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Barberton?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Barberton will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 31.2/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (O3: 31.2/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Barberton?

Dry winter conditions bring the worst air quality to Barberton, as smoke and dust tied to sugarcane, timber, and tourism operations linger without rain to settle them. Once summer arrives around November, regular thunderstorms and stronger winds generally restore clearer conditions across the surrounding bushveld, a seasonal pattern typical of the broader bushveld region.

Are air quality levels in Barberton 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