Worst air pollution Kensington - Johannesburg, today and tomorrow
Today (30 August): Air quality in Kensington is moderate. AQI, O3, SO2, and HCHO are moderate; PM2.5, NO2, and PM1 are fair; PM10 and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (HCHO: 55.8/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in Kensington is moderate. NO2 increases to moderate; O3 decreases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (SO2: 48.6/100). 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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Vehicle traffic and government, finance, and commercial operations are the main contributors to air quality conditions at Kensington, set on the dry Highveld plateau. Winter mornings can see emissions concentrate under a temperature inversion, while the wetter, windier summer months typically bring clearer air to the wider district. Much of the surrounding Highveld sees broadly the same seasonal pattern.
Today - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 07:00
AQI:
Moderate
55.8/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
31.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
9.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
35.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Moderate
41.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
51.3/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
55.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
38.3/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 08:00
AQI:
Moderate
48.6/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
31.1/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
9.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
45.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
36.7/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
48.6/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
44.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
37.7/100
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Kensington right now?
On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in Kensington is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 55.8/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (HCHO: 55.8/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Kensington?
On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in Kensington will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 48.6/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (SO2: 48.6/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Kensington?
The worst air quality at Kensington shows up on calm winter mornings, when emissions tied to government, finance, and commercial operations settle under the kind of low inversion that's common across the Highveld. That pattern breaks once the summer rains and stronger winds arrive from November onward. This is a familiar pattern across much of the Highveld.
Are air quality levels in Kensington 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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