Worst air pollution Philippolis, today and tomorrow

Today (9 August): Air quality in Philippolis is fair. AQI, O3, and PM1 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 31.8/100).
Tomorrow (10 August 2026): Air quality in Philippolis is good. AQI improves to good; O3 decreases to good; PM1 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (O3: 16.9/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

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Philippolis lies roughly 160 km southwest of Bloemfontein. At Philippolis, vehicle traffic and maize, sunflower, and grain farming operations are the dominant local sources shaping air quality on the Highveld plateau. Calm winter mornings allow emissions to build up under a low inversion layer, while the arrival of summer rains and stronger winds generally restores clearer conditions. Similar patterns show up in most Highveld towns of a similar size.

Today - 9 August | Pollution peaks at 10:00

AQI:

Fair

31.8/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

14.9/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

3.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

3.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

31.8/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

19.0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

2.3/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

20.6/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 10 August | Pollution peaks at 14:00

AQI:

Good

16.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

0.9/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

0.4/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

1.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Good

16.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

1.6/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

0.5/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

0.5/100

Pollen forecast in Philippolis

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Philippolis right now?

On 9 August 2026, overall air quality in Philippolis is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 31.8/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 31.8/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Philippolis?

On 10 August 2026, air quality conditions in Philippolis will be better than today, with AQI forecast at good at 16.9/100. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (O3: 16.9/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Philippolis?

Philippolis sees its poorest air quality on windless winter mornings, when a low temperature inversion traps local emissions and those from maize, sunflower, and grain farming operations nearby. Summer's arrival from November brings stronger winds and thunderstorms that usually restore clearer conditions for months at a time, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Highveld plateau.

Are air quality levels in Philippolis 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: 9 August 2026 at 20:27 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.

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