Worst air pollution Carletonville, today and tomorrow
Today (30 August): Air quality in Carletonville is moderate. AQI, NO2, and SO2 are moderate; PM2.5, O3, HCHO, and PM1 are fair; PM10 and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (SO2: 52.4/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in Carletonville is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to moderate; PM10 increases to fair; NO2 increases to poor; SO2 increases to very poor; HCHO increases to moderate; PM1 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (SO2: 85.9/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Carletonville lies roughly 70 km west-southwest of Johannesburg. The Highveld plateau setting around Carletonville means vehicle traffic and gold mining and processing operations are never far from the air quality picture, particularly once winter's still mornings set in. From spring onward, wind and rain reliably take over the job of clearing the air. Nearby towns on the plateau tend to see similar conditions.
Today - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 20:00
AQI:
Moderate
52.4/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
28.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
8.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
43.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
52.4/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
37.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
35.0/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Very poor
85.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
47.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
20.5/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
66.6/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
38.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Very poor
85.9/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
47.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
52.8/100
Pollen forecast in Carletonville
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Carletonville right now?
On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in Carletonville is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 52.4/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (SO2: 52.4/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Carletonville?
On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in Carletonville will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 85.9/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (SO2: 85.9/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Carletonville?
Air quality at Carletonville is most likely to dip during the dry winter months from May to August, when temperature inversions trap emissions from gold mining and processing operations close to the ground on still mornings. Conditions improve markedly once summer rains arrive from November, as stronger winds clear the plateau air, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Highveld plateau.
Are air quality levels in Carletonville 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: 30 August 2026 at 14:32 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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