Worst air pollution Johannesburg, today and tomorrow
Today (30 August): Air quality in Johannesburg is poor. AQI and SO2 are poor; PM2.5, NO2, O3, HCHO, and PM1 are moderate; PM10 and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 9:00 PM (SO2: 62.1/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in Johannesburg is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM10 increases to fair; NO2 increases to poor; SO2 increases to very poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (SO2: 84.7/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Johannesburg' air quality is significantly influenced by winter wood and coal burning in surrounding townships and the East Rand industrial corridor, producing some of southern Africa's worst seasonal pollution episodes. Summer thunderstorms provide effective air washing, while the highveld altitude of 1,750 metres aids background dispersion on most days.
Today - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 21:00
AQI:
Poor
62.1/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
40.4/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
12.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
51.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Moderate
46.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Poor
62.1/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
57.2/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
43.0/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Very poor
84.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
47.9/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
21.1/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
74.1/100
O3 (ozone):
Moderate
48.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Very poor
84.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
52.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
53.6/100
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Johannesburg right now?
On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in Johannesburg is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 62.1/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 PM (SO2: 62.1/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Johannesburg?
On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in Johannesburg will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 84.7/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (SO2: 84.7/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Johannesburg?
Air quality at Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg 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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