Worst air pollution Linden - Johannesburg, today and tomorrow

Today (9 August): Air quality in Linden is poor. AQI and HCHO are poor; PM10 is fair; PM2.5, O3, and PM1 are medium; NO2, SO2, and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 2:00 AM (HCHO: 63.5/100).
Tomorrow (10 August 2026): Air quality in Linden is fair. AQI improves to fair; PM2.5 increases to fair; PM10 decreases to good; O3 increases to fair; HCHO decreases to fair; PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (PM1: 26.7/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

Get the full experience in the Airmine app.

Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team

Follow your pollen exposure and performance with the free Airmine–Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.

Linden lies roughly 10 km northwest of Johannesburg. Linden's position on the open Highveld plateau means vehicle traffic and government, finance, and commercial operations drive most local emissions, with winter inversions occasionally trapping pollution close to the ground. Summer brings stronger winds and regular thunderstorms that generally keep particulate levels lower across the surrounding area. It's a fairly standard picture for this part of the plateau.

Today - 9 August | Pollution peaks at 02:00

AQI:

Poor

63.5/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Medium

48.3/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

21.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

2.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

49.5/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

4.1/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Poor

63.5/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Medium

54.1/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 10 August | Pollution peaks at 09:00

AQI:

Fair

26.7/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

21.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

5.8/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

20.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

1.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

24.2/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

26.7/100

Other Landmarks in Johannesburg

Sports venues in Johannesburg

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Linden right now?

On 9 August 2026, overall air quality in Linden is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 63.5/100. Pollution peaks around 2:00 AM (HCHO: 63.5/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Linden?

On 10 August 2026, air quality conditions in Linden will be better than today, with AQI forecast at fair at 26.7/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (PM1: 26.7/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Linden?

Winter is when air quality dips most at Linden, as still mornings allow emissions from government, finance, and commercial operations to concentrate under a Highveld inversion layer. From spring onward, increasing rain and wind generally keep conditions clearer through summer and into early autumn, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Highveld plateau.

Are air quality levels in Linden 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.

Want to see air quality forecasts for other cities in South Africa?

Check air quality in other popular cities:

Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 9 August 2026 at 20:27 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.

Get the full experience in the Airmine app.