Worst air pollution Nqutu, today and tomorrow
Today (30 August): Air quality in Nqutu is moderate. AQI and SO2 are moderate; PM2.5, NO2, O3, and PM1 are fair; PM10, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 3:00 AM (SO2: 43.9/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in Nqutu is moderate. NO2 decreases to good; O3 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (O3: 49.0/100). 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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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 - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 03:00
AQI:
Moderate
43.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
20.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
5.5/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
23.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
39.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
43.9/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
7.4/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
26.6/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 15:00
AQI:
Moderate
49.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
23.9/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
6.6/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
15.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Moderate
49.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
40.1/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
7.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
29.7/100
Pollen forecast in Nqutu
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Nqutu right now?
On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in Nqutu is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 43.9/100. Pollution peaks around 3:00 AM (SO2: 43.9/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Nqutu?
On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in Nqutu will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 49.0/100. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (O3: 49.0/100).
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.
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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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