Worst air pollution Howick, today and tomorrow

Today (20 September): Air quality in Howick is poor. AQI and PM1 are poor; PM2.5 is moderate; PM10, NO2, O3, SO2, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 60.1/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Howick is poor. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (PM1: 63.4/100). 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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Howick lies roughly 90 km west-northwest of Durban. At Howick, vehicle traffic and dairy and forestry farming operations are the dominant local emission sources in this cooler, elevated Midlands setting. Winter mornings can see brief temperature inversions concentrate pollution, while the wetter, windier summer months generally restore clearer air. Similar patterns show up in most nearby Midlands towns.

Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00

AQI:

Poor

60.1/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

57.0/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

37.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

34.4/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

30.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

39.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.7/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

30.8/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

60.1/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 19:00

AQI:

Poor

63.4/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

59.7/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

39.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

28.5/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

39.4/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

22.6/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.5/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

28.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

63.4/100

Pollen forecast in Howick

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Air quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Howick

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Howick right now?

On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Howick is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 60.1/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 60.1/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Howick?

On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Howick will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at poor at 63.4/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (PM1: 63.4/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Howick?

Howick's poorest air quality usually comes on dry winter mornings, when temperature inversions briefly concentrate emissions from dairy and forestry farming operations nearby. Conditions generally improve from spring onward as the wetter, windier summer months return to the Midlands region, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Midlands region.

Are air quality levels in Howick 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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