Worst air pollution Phoenix - Durban, today and tomorrow

Today (20 September): Air quality in Phoenix is poor. AQI and PM1 are poor; PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 are moderate; SO2 and HCHO are fair; O3 and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 63.5/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Phoenix is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to poor; NO2 increases to poor; O3 increases to moderate; PM1 increases to very poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (PM1: 81.9/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

Get the full experience in the Airmine app.

Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team

Follow your pollen exposure and performance with the free Airmine–Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.

Phoenix lies roughly 20 km north of Durban. Vehicle traffic and port and industrial operations shape most of the local air quality picture at Phoenix, moderated by the steady Indian Ocean sea breeze typical of this stretch of coast. The area's humid subtropical climate keeps conditions generally favourable year-round. Much of the surrounding coastline sees broadly the same seasonal pattern.

Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 23:00

AQI:

Poor

63.5/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

51.9/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

41.1/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Moderate

45.0/100

O3 (ozone):

Good

11.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

39.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.2/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

38.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

63.5/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 11:00

AQI:

Very poor

81.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Poor

66.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

51.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Poor

63.5/100

O3 (ozone):

Moderate

44.5/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

38.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

3.6/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

39.3/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Very poor

81.9/100

Other Landmarks in Durban

Sports venues in Durban

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Phoenix right now?

On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Phoenix is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 63.5/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 63.5/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Phoenix?

On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Phoenix will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 81.9/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (PM1: 81.9/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Phoenix?

Air quality at Phoenix is generally stable year-round thanks to consistent Indian Ocean sea breezes, though hot, still, humid days in mid-summer can occasionally allow haze and emissions from port and industrial operations to build up before the breeze returns. Winter typically brings the clearest conditions, a seasonal pattern typical of the broader KwaZulu-Natal coast.

Are air quality levels in Phoenix 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.

Want to see air quality forecasts for other cities in South Africa?

Check air quality in other popular cities:

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.

Get the full experience in the Airmine app.