Worst air pollution Germiston, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Germiston is poor. AQI and SO2 are poor; PM10 and O3 are fair; PM2.5, NO2, HCHO, and PM1 are medium; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (SO2: 78.2/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Germiston is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; SO2 increases to very poor; HCHO increases to poor; PM1 increases to poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (SO2: 84.1/100). 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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Germiston's air quality faces serious challenges as part of the East Rand industrial core in greater Johannesburg, with the Germiston gold refinery complex, chemical plants, and heavy vehicle traffic on the N3 and N17 highways generating elevated PM2.5, SO₂, and heavy metals. Winter Highveld temperature inversions concentrate industrial and vehicle emissions across the East Rand corridor, making Germiston one of the Gauteng metropolitan area's more persistently polluted municipalities throughout the dry season.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 23:00

AQI:

Poor

78.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

52.0/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

24.7/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Medium

40.8/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

24.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Poor

78.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Medium

56.3/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Medium

59.9/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 08:00

AQI:

Very poor

84.1/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

59.8/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

32.1/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Medium

47.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

30.2/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Very poor

84.1/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Poor

64.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

69.6/100

Pollen forecast in Germiston

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Germiston right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Germiston is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 78.2/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (SO2: 78.2/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Germiston?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Germiston will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 84.1/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (SO2: 84.1/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Germiston?

Air quality at Germiston is most likely to dip during the dry winter months from May to August, when temperature inversions trap vehicle and household emissions close to the ground on still mornings. Conditions improve markedly once the summer rains arrive from November, as stronger winds and regular thunderstorms clear the plateau air for the rest of the season.

Are air quality levels in Germiston 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.

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