Worst air pollution Nqutu, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Nqutu is poor. AQI, PM2.5, and PM1 are poor; PM10 is moderate; NO2 and O3 are fair; SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM1: 69.7/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Nqutu is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to very poor; NO2 increases to moderate; PM1 increases to very poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (PM1: 93.3/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
Get the full experience in the Airmine app.
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Follow your pollen exposure and performance with the free Airmine–Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.
Nqutu's air quality reflects its rural KwaZulu-Natal midlands setting, with vehicle dust from unpaved roads, biomass burning for cooking and heating from surrounding rural communities, and occasional agricultural burning contributing the primary local PM2.5 and PM10 sources in this predominantly rural municipal area. The KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg foothills to the west and the prevailing Indian Ocean easterly winds from the coast generally provide reasonable background ventilation across the rural uMzinyathi district throughout the year.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Poor
69.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Poor
65.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
43.1/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
33.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
27.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
9.9/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.9/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
8.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Poor
69.7/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 07:00
AQI:
Very poor
93.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Very poor
86.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
53.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
40.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
10.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
2.7/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
13.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Very poor
93.3/100
Pollen forecast in Nqutu
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Nqutu right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Nqutu 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 Nqutu?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Nqutu will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 93.3/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (PM1: 93.3/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Nqutu?
Air quality at Nqutu is most likely to dip during the dry winter months, when cool, still mornings allow temperature inversions to briefly trap local emissions close to the ground across the Midlands. Conditions generally improve from spring onward as summer rains and stronger winds return to clear the air throughout the wider region.
Are air quality levels in Nqutu 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.
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: 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.
Get the full experience in the Airmine app.