Worst air pollution Montana - Pretoria, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Montana is moderate. AQI, PM2.5, NO2, and PM1 are moderate; PM10, O3, SO2, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 48.1/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Montana is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to poor; PM10 increases to moderate; NO2 increases to poor; O3 increases to moderate; SO2 increases to moderate; HCHO increases to moderate; PM1 increases to very poor; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 87.6/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Montana lies roughly 40 km north-northeast of Johannesburg. Montana's position on the open Highveld plateau means vehicle traffic and government, finance, and commercial operations drive most local emissions, with winter inversions occasionally trapping pollution close to the ground. Summer brings stronger winds and regular thunderstorms that generally keep particulate levels lower across the surrounding area. It's a fairly standard picture for this part of the plateau.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Moderate
48.1/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
44.1/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
23.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
41.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
34.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
33.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.4/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
30.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
48.1/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Very poor
87.6/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Poor
75.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
50.1/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
63.5/100
O3 (ozone):
Moderate
44.5/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
50.8/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
3.5/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
54.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Very poor
87.6/100
Other Landmarks in Pretoria
Sports venues in Pretoria
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Montana right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Montana is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 48.1/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 48.1/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Montana?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Montana will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 87.6/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM1: 87.6/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Montana?
Winter is when air quality dips most at Montana, as still mornings allow emissions from government, finance, and commercial operations to concentrate under a Highveld inversion layer. From spring onward, increasing rain and wind generally keep conditions clearer through summer and into early autumn, a seasonal pattern typical of the wider Highveld plateau.
Are air quality levels in Montana 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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