Worst air pollution Nelson Mandela Museum - Mthatha, today and tomorrow

Today (30 August): Air quality in Nelson Mandela Museum is moderate. AQI and SO2 are moderate; PM2.5, NO2, O3, and PM1 are fair; PM10, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (SO2: 42.3/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in Nelson Mandela Museum is moderate. PM2.5 decreases to good; NO2 increases to moderate; O3 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (SO2: 45.6/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

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

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Nelson Mandela Museum lies roughly 400 km northeast of Gqeberha. At Nelson Mandela Museum, vehicle traffic and mixed farming and light industrial activity are the main local sources of emissions in this transitional Eastern Cape climate zone. Moderate rainfall through most of the year generally supports reasonable dispersal, with only occasional still mornings allowing pollution to briefly build up. Similar patterns show up in most nearby Eastern Cape towns.

Today - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 00:00

AQI:

Moderate

42.3/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

29.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

9.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

29.4/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

26.4/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Moderate

42.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

2.8/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

32.0/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 22:00

AQI:

Moderate

45.6/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

16.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

4.6/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Moderate

40.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Good

18.1/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Moderate

45.6/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

3.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

20.6/100

Other Landmarks in Mthatha

Sports venues in Mthatha

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Nelson Mandela Museum right now?

On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in Nelson Mandela Museum is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 42.3/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (SO2: 42.3/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Nelson Mandela Museum?

On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in Nelson Mandela Museum will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 45.6/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (SO2: 45.6/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Nelson Mandela Museum?

Nelson Mandela Museum's poorest air quality usually comes in the drier winter season, when lower rainfall allows emissions from mixed farming and light industrial activity to build up more than usual. From spring, increasing rain generally helps clear the air through the remainder of the year, a seasonal pattern typical of this Eastern Cape climate zone.

Are air quality levels in Nelson Mandela Museum 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: 30 August 2026 at 14:32 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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