Worst air pollution Kathu, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Kathu is moderate. AQI, PM2.5, and PM1 are moderate; PM10 is fair; NO2, O3, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (PM1: 45.4/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Kathu is fair. AQI improves to fair; PM2.5 decreases to fair; PM10 decreases to good; PM1 decreases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (PM1: 29.2/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Kathu lies roughly 200 km northwest of Kimberley. Air quality at Kathu is generally good given the Karoo's remote, sparsely populated setting, with vehicle traffic and diamond prospecting history and stock farming as the main local sources. The wide open landscape and frequent winds usually keep pollution well dispersed, aside from occasional dusty conditions on still days. This mirrors what's typical for towns across the wider interior.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Moderate
45.4/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
44.4/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
22.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
5.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
15.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
8.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.6/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
45.4/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 09:00
AQI:
Fair
29.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
28.9/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
13.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
7.3/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
16.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.7/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.6/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
29.2/100
Pollen forecast in Kathu
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Kathu right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Kathu is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 45.4/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (PM1: 45.4/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Kathu?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Kathu will be better than today, with AQI forecast at fair at 29.2/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (PM1: 29.2/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Kathu?
The driest, windiest weeks of late winter and spring bring the only real dip in air quality at Kathu, as dust tied to diamond prospecting history and stock farming gets stirred up. For the rest of the year, the Karoo's open, sparsely populated landscape keeps conditions clean, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Karoo interior.
Are air quality levels in Kathu 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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