Worst air pollution Mthatha, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Mthatha is very poor. AQI, NO2, and SO2 are very poor; O3 is fair; PM2.5 and PM1 are medium; PM10, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (SO2: 93.5/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Mthatha is poor. AQI improves to poor; NO2 decreases to poor; SO2 decreases to poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (NO2: 78.2/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Use our Strava plugin to check your own exposure.
Mthatha's air quality reflects the Eastern Cape highland position in the former Transkei, with vehicle traffic on the N2 and surrounding mixed urban and rural character contributing local sources. Residential biomass burning for cooking and heating from surrounding communities generates elevated PM2.5, while the surrounding Eastern Cape midlands hills create topographic variation and the Indian Ocean coastal influence provides periodic eastern ventilation on most days.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Very poor
93.5/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
46.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
19.4/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Very poor
81.0/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
29.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Very poor
93.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.1/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
11.4/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Medium
51.1/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Poor
78.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
44.7/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
17.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
78.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
23.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Poor
73.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.1/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
10.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Medium
49.2/100
Pollen forecast in Mthatha
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Mthatha right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Mthatha is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 93.5/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (SO2: 93.5/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Mthatha?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Mthatha will be better than today, with AQI forecast at poor at 78.2/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (NO2: 78.2/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Mthatha?
At Mthatha, the driest winter months usually bring the year's poorest air quality, as lower rainfall lets dust and vehicle emissions linger longer than they would in wetter periods elsewhere. Conditions typically improve from spring through summer as rainfall increases and helps wash pollutants out of the local atmosphere across the wider area.
Are air quality levels in Mthatha 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.
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: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 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.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app