Worst air pollution Basel, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Basel is fair. AQI and NO2 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (NO2: 34.2/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Basel is fair. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (NO2: 24.8/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Basel's air quality reflects its position at the Rhine-Aare confluence at the Swiss-German-French tri-border, with the surrounding pharmaceutical and chemical industry — including Novartis and Roche's global headquarters — generating significant industrial emissions alongside vehicle traffic on the A2 and A3 motorways. The Rhine valley provides the primary ventilation corridor, while the Basel Rhine bend creates a natural concentration zone, and the Alsatian plain to the west and the Black Forest to the east create partial topographic enclosure under calm conditions.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 08:00
AQI:
Fair
34.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
19.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
13.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
34.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
19.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.9/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
6.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
8.7/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 08:00
AQI:
Fair
24.8/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
16.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
13.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
24.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
19.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.3/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.8/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
4.9/100
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Basel right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Basel is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 34.2/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (NO2: 34.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Basel?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Basel will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 24.8/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (NO2: 24.8/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Basel?
Basel sees its worst air quality on windless winter mornings, when vehicle traffic and cross-border industry pool across the plain under conditions typical of this wide river valley. From spring, conditions steadily pick up over the Rhine plain, and summer stays mostly clear aside from a rare ozone spike, with autumn usually just as settled.
Are air quality levels in Basel 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 20:27 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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