Worst air pollution Santa Cruz, today and tomorrow

On 19 July 2026, overall air quality in Santa Cruz is fair. PM2.5 is the main pollutant at 34.9/100. Pollution peaks around 2:00 PM (PM10: 45.9/100).

On 20 July 2026, air quality conditions in Santa Cruz will be similar to today, with O3 forecast at fair at 28.6/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 AM (PM10: 49.7/100).

How do the seasons affect air quality in Santa Cruz? The year's lowest air quality readings tend to cluster in winter, when high-pressure systems suppress the mixing that would otherwise clear away exhaust and smoke. By spring, air quality usually starts trending upward as the calm winter inversions give way to more unsettled, breezier weather. Summer can bring periodic wildfire smoke on top of the usual ozone build-up from intense heat and sunshine. Air quality usually improves through autumn, as returning rains and cooling temperatures wash out summer's ozone and dust build-up. Being closest to the Sahara, these islands see calima dust events more often than any other part of Spain, on top of an otherwise mild, trade-wind climate.

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.

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.