Worst air pollution Randfontein, today and tomorrow

Today (20 September): Air quality in Randfontein is moderate. AQI and NO2 are moderate; PM2.5, O3, HCHO, and PM1 are fair; PM10, SO2, and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (NO2: 43.0/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Randfontein is moderate. PM2.5 increases to moderate; PM10 increases to moderate; O3 increases to moderate; SO2 increases to fair; PM1 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 58.2/100). 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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Randfontein's air quality reflects the West Rand gold mining corridor west of Johannesburg, with gold mine dust from the surrounding West Rand tailings dumps and vehicle traffic on the N14 generating elevated heavy metal particulates. Winter Highveld temperature inversions concentrate mining dust and vehicle emissions across the plateau, while the elevated 1,700-metre position aids background dispersal on windy summer days and the gold mine legacy dust represents the most distinctive local PM10 source.

Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 20:00

AQI:

Moderate

43.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

37.2/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

17.5/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Moderate

43.0/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

36.3/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

19.4/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

1.1/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

23.8/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

23.4/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 19:00

AQI:

Moderate

58.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Moderate

55.8/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Moderate

41.1/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Moderate

58.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Moderate

47.5/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Fair

39.1/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

2.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Fair

32.9/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Moderate

45.3/100

Pollen forecast in Randfontein

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Sports venues in Randfontein

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Randfontein right now?

On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Randfontein is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 43.0/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (NO2: 43.0/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Randfontein?

On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Randfontein will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 58.2/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 58.2/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Randfontein?

At Randfontein, the poorest air quality usually occurs on still winter mornings from May to August, when smoke and vehicle emissions accumulate under a low temperature inversion typical of the Highveld plateau. From November onward, summer rains and afternoon winds generally restore clearer conditions that last through much of the warmer part of the year.

Are air quality levels in Randfontein 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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