Worst air pollution Parow, today and tomorrow

Today (20 September): Air quality in Parow is poor. AQI and PM2.5 are poor; PM10 and PM1 are moderate; NO2, O3, SO2, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (PM2.5: 63.5/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Parow is moderate. AQI improves to moderate; PM2.5 decreases to moderate; NO2 increases to moderate; O3 decreases to good; SO2 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM2.5: 58.0/100). 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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Parow's air quality reflects the Cape Flats northeast of Cape Town, with vehicle traffic on the N1 motorway and surrounding industrial character contributing elevated NOₓ. The Cape Doctor southeasterly provides periodic powerful ventilation, while under calm northwesterly winter conditions vehicle and industrial emissions accumulate across the flat Cape Flats plain below the Tygerberg hills.

Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 16:00

AQI:

Poor

63.5/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Poor

63.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

44.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

35.0/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

20.2/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

22.0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

1.5/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

30.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Moderate

54.3/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 23:00

AQI:

Moderate

58.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

58.0/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

40.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Moderate

48.6/100

O3 (ozone):

Good

14.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Moderate

40.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.5/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

32.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Moderate

55.8/100

Pollen forecast in Parow

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Parow right now?

On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Parow is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 63.5/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (PM2.5: 63.5/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Parow?

On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Parow will be better than today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 58.0/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (PM2.5: 58.0/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Parow?

Air quality at Parow is most likely to dip on still winter mornings from June to August, when smoke and traffic emissions can briefly linger without the Cape's usual wind to disperse them across the area. For the rest of the year, and especially in summer, the strong southeasterly Cape Doctor keeps conditions consistently well ventilated and clear.

Are air quality levels in Parow 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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