Worst air pollution Diepkloof - Johannesburg, today and tomorrow

Today (20 September): Air quality in Diepkloof is poor. AQI, PM2.5, NO2, and PM1 are poor; PM10, SO2, and HCHO are moderate; O3 is fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 74.1/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Diepkloof is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; NO2 increases to very poor; HCHO increases to poor; PM1 increases to very poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 100/100). 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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At Diepkloof, vehicle traffic and government, finance, and commercial operations are the dominant local sources shaping air quality on the Highveld plateau. Calm winter mornings allow emissions to build up under a low inversion layer, while the arrival of summer rains and stronger winds generally restores clearer conditions. Similar patterns show up in most Highveld towns of a similar size.

Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 19:00

AQI:

Poor

74.1/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Poor

60.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

45.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Poor

74.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

35.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Moderate

45.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.8/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Moderate

53.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Poor

71.2/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 19:00

AQI:

Very poor

100/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Poor

76.2/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

55.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Very poor

100/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

35.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Moderate

54.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

4.2/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Poor

62.5/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Very poor

90.5/100

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Diepkloof right now?

On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Diepkloof is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 74.1/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 74.1/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Diepkloof?

On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Diepkloof will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 100/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 100/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Diepkloof?

Diepkloof sees its poorest air quality on windless winter mornings, when a low temperature inversion traps local emissions and those from government, finance, and commercial operations nearby. Summer's arrival from November brings stronger winds and thunderstorms that usually restore clearer conditions for months at a time, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Highveld plateau.

Are air quality levels in Diepkloof 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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