Worst air pollution Sandton, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Sandton is poor. AQI and NO2 are poor; PM2.5, SO2, and PM1 are moderate; PM10, O3, and HCHO are fair; CO is good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 74.0/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Sandton is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM2.5 increases to very poor; PM10 increases to moderate; NO2 increases to very 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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Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
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Sandton's air quality reflects its position as Johannesburg's financial centre on the Highveld plateau, with vehicle traffic on the N1 and Grayston Drive corridor and the concentrated commercial and hotel district generating elevated NOₓ in one of Africa's most affluent business districts. Winter Highveld temperature inversions concentrate vehicle and residential wood-burning emissions across the plateau, while the elevated 1,645-metre position aids background dispersal on the windy summer days that characterise Gauteng's afternoon thunderstorm season.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 19:00
AQI:
Poor
74.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
44.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
28.1/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
74.0/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
27.7/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Moderate
40.8/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
1.7/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
38.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Moderate
55.4/100
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
81.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
59.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Very poor
100/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
30.7/100
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
Pollen forecast in Sandton
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Sandton right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Sandton is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 74.0/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 74.0/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Sandton?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Sandton 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 Sandton?
At Sandton, 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 Sandton 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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