Worst air pollution Karenpark - Pretoria, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Karenpark is moderate. AQI, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and PM1 are moderate; PM10, O3, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 53.0/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Karenpark is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to very poor; PM10 increases to moderate; NO2 increases to poor; SO2 increases to poor; HCHO increases to poor; PM1 increases to very poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 100/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Karenpark lies roughly 40 km north-northeast of Johannesburg. Vehicle traffic and government, finance, and commercial operations are the main contributors to air quality conditions at Karenpark, set on the dry Highveld plateau. Winter mornings can see emissions concentrate under a temperature inversion, while the wetter, windier summer months typically bring clearer air to the wider district. Much of the surrounding Highveld sees broadly the same seasonal pattern.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Moderate
53.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
50.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
28.1/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
48.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
28.5/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
40.8/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.7/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
38.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
53.0/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Very poor
100/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Very poor
97.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
59.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
76.5/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Poor
62.9/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
5.4/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Poor
70.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Very poor
100/100
Other Landmarks in Pretoria
Sports venues in Pretoria
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Karenpark right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Karenpark is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 53.0/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 53.0/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Karenpark?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Karenpark will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 100/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 100/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Karenpark?
The worst air quality at Karenpark shows up on calm winter mornings, when emissions tied to government, finance, and commercial operations settle under the kind of low inversion that's common across the Highveld. That pattern breaks once the summer rains and stronger winds arrive from November onward. This is a familiar pattern across much of the Highveld.
Are air quality levels in Karenpark 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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