Worst air pollution Fernwood - Newcastle, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Fernwood is poor. AQI and PM1 are poor; PM2.5 and PM10 are moderate; NO2, O3, SO2, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 69.7/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Fernwood is poor. NO2 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (PM1: 69.2/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Fernwood lies roughly 260 km north-northwest of Durban. Fernwood's inland Midlands position means vehicle traffic and dairy and forestry farming operations drive most local emissions, occasionally trapped by winter morning inversions typical of this cooler, elevated climate. Summer rains and stronger winds usually bring clearer conditions back to the district. It's a fairly standard picture for this part of the Midlands.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Poor
69.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
56.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
42.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
37.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
22.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
24.8/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.5/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
21.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Poor
69.7/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Poor
69.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
57.0/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
41.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
18.3/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.7/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
25.1/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.6/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
22.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Poor
69.2/100
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Fernwood right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Fernwood is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 69.7/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 69.7/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Fernwood?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Fernwood will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at poor at 69.2/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (PM1: 69.2/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Fernwood?
Winter's cool, calm mornings are when air quality dips most at Fernwood, trapping emissions from dairy and forestry farming operations under a brief temperature inversion. From spring through summer, increasing rainfall and wind generally keep conditions clearer across the district, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Midlands region.
Are air quality levels in Fernwood 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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