Worst air pollution Khayelitsha, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Khayelitsha is poor. AQI and PM1 are poor; PM2.5 and PM10 are moderate; O3, SO2, and HCHO are fair; NO2 and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (PM1: 61.2/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Khayelitsha is poor. NO2 increases to fair; SO2 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 62.9/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Khayelitsha's air quality faces serious challenges as Cape Town's largest township, with residential wood and paraffin burning from informal settlements generating elevated PM2.5 during winter, while the flat Cape Flats position downwind of the Cape Town industrial corridor adds background pollution on southeasterly Cape Doctor winds. The Cape Doctor wind that brings relief to the Atlantic suburbs instead carries emissions across the flat Cape Flats toward Khayelitsha.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 16:00
AQI:
Poor
61.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
57.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
44.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
17.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
22.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.5/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
30.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Poor
61.2/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Poor
62.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
52.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
40.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
29.5/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
20.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
40.3/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
2.5/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
32.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Poor
62.9/100
Pollen forecast in Khayelitsha
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Khayelitsha right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Khayelitsha is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 61.2/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (PM1: 61.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Khayelitsha?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Khayelitsha will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at poor at 62.9/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 62.9/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Khayelitsha?
At Khayelitsha, occasional poor air quality tends to occur on calm winter days from June to August, when the Cape's usual wind drops off and local emissions can build up overnight around the town. Through spring and summer, the reliable southeasterly wind returns and generally keeps particulate levels low and well dispersed across the wider region.
Are air quality levels in Khayelitsha 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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