Worst air pollution Manenberg - Cape Town, today and tomorrow

Today (20 September): Air quality in Manenberg is poor. AQI and PM1 are poor; PM2.5 and PM10 are moderate; NO2, O3, SO2, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (PM1: 63.3/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Manenberg is poor. PM10 decreases to fair; NO2 increases to moderate; O3 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 61.9/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

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Manenberg lies roughly 10 km east-southeast of Cape Town. Manenberg's air quality benefits from its Western Cape position, with consistent Cape winds providing reliable natural ventilation for much of the year. Vehicle traffic and the city bowl, harbour, and southern suburbs are the main local sources of pollution, while the region's windy climate generally keeps particulate levels low. Conditions like these are common across much of the Cape.

Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 12:00

AQI:

Poor

63.3/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

53.0/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

43.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

21.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

30.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

33.6/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

1.7/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

27.2/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

63.3/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 23:00

AQI:

Poor

61.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

49.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

39.4/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Moderate

42.4/100

O3 (ozone):

Good

19.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

39.8/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.4/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

29.8/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

61.9/100

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Manenberg right now?

On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Manenberg is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 63.3/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (PM1: 63.3/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Manenberg?

On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Manenberg will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at poor at 61.9/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 61.9/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Manenberg?

At Manenberg, occasional poor air quality tends to occur on calm winter days, when the Cape's usual wind drops and emissions from the city bowl, harbour, and southern suburbs can build up overnight. Through spring and summer, the reliable southeasterly wind returns and keeps particulate levels low, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Cape region.

Are air quality levels in Manenberg 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: 20 September 2026 at 14:33 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.

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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