Worst air pollution Maboneng - Johannesburg, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Maboneng is very poor. AQI and PM1 are very poor; NO2 is poor; PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and HCHO are moderate; O3 is fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 81.7/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Maboneng is very poor. PM2.5 increases to poor; NO2 increases to very poor; HCHO increases to poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 100/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Vehicle traffic and government, finance, and commercial operations together shape most of what happens to air quality at Maboneng, sitting as it does on the open Highveld plateau. Winter's still, cold mornings are when the two combine most noticeably, before summer's stronger winds take over and clear things out. This is roughly what you'd expect anywhere on the open plateau.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Very poor
81.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
60.0/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
45.5/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
78.1/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
36.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
45.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
2.8/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
53.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Very poor
81.7/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Very poor
100/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Poor
75.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
55.9/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Very poor
100/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
35.6/100
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
100/100
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Maboneng right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Maboneng is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 81.7/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 81.7/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Maboneng?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Maboneng will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 100/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 100/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Maboneng?
Ask anyone at Maboneng and they'll say winter mornings are when the air is at its worst, as government, finance, and commercial operations and local traffic emissions sit trapped under a still, cold inversion layer. Spring and summer bring the wind and rain that usually clears things up again. This is a familiar pattern across much of the Highveld.
Are air quality levels in Maboneng 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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