Highest air pollution Santa Cruz, today and tomorrow
Today (28 June): Air quality in Santa Cruz is fair. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 are fair; NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (PM10: 29.2/100).
Tomorrow (29 June 2026): Air quality in Santa Cruz is fair. AQI improves to medium; PM10 decreases to medium; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (PM10: 42.3/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Santa Cruz's air quality in California benefits from its direct Pacific Ocean coastal exposure, with consistent onshore sea breezes from Monterey Bay providing outstanding natural ventilation throughout most of the year. The primary concerns are occasional wildfire smoke from the Santa Cruz Mountains during summer and autumn fire seasons, and vehicle emissions from Highway 1 and Highway 17, while the open coastal position prevents significant topographic pollution accumulation.
Today - 28 June | Pollution peaks at 19:00
AQI:
Fair
29.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
21.1/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
29.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
1.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
21.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.2/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
2.9/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 29 June | Pollution peaks at 20:00
AQI:
Medium
42.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
31.4/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Medium
42.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
1.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
22.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
5.5/100
Pollen forecast in Santa Cruz
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Santa Cruz right now?
On 28 June 2026, overall air quality in Santa Cruz is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 29.2/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (PM10: 29.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Santa Cruz?
On 29 June 2026, air quality conditions in Santa Cruz will be similar to today, with PM2.5 forecast at fair at 31.4/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (PM10: 42.3/100).
Are air quality levels in Santa Cruz 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.
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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 28 June 2026 at 18:38 CET (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.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team