Bristol Air Quality Forecast - Today, Tomorrow
Air Quality Today
Today (16 October): Air quality in Bristol is fair. AQI and NO2 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (NO2: 40.3/100).
Air Quality Tomorrow
Tomorrow (17 October 2026): Air quality in Bristol is fair. NO2 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM2.5: 34.2/100).
Explore Forecasts
Pollen & Mold
Air Quality for Neighborhoods
Pollen & AQ for Routes
Get More in Our App
Local pollen and air quality forecasts, interactive pollen maps and route profiles
Features and forecast availability vary by region.
Air Quality
Today - 16 October
| Pollutant | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| AQI | Fair | 22.7/100 |
| PM2.5 (fine particles) | Good | 13.1/100 |
| PM10 (coarse particles) | Good | 7.1/100 |
| NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) | Fair | 22.3/100 |
| O3 (ozone) | Good | 8.3/100 |
| SO2 (sulfur dioxide) | Good | 2.1/100 |
| CO (carbon monoxide) | Good | 0.5/100 |
| HCHO (formaldehyde) | Good | 3.4/100 |
| PM1 (ultrafine particles) | Good | 5.0/100 |
Tomorrow - 17 October
| Pollutant | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| AQI | Fair | 21.1/100 |
| PM2.5 (fine particles) | Good | 18.5/100 |
| PM10 (coarse particles) | Good | 11.6/100 |
| NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) | Good | 15.5/100 |
| O3 (ozone) | Good | 8.4/100 |
| SO2 (sulfur dioxide) | Good | 1.8/100 |
| CO (carbon monoxide) | Good | 0.6/100 |
| HCHO (formaldehyde) | Good | 3.3/100 |
| PM1 (ultrafine particles) | Good | 4.7/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Traffic is the main source of air pollution in Bristol, especially on the M32, the A4 Portway and the congested roads around the city centre and Temple Meads. To cut nitrogen dioxide, Bristol introduced a Clean Air Zone in November 2022, charging older, more polluting vehicles to drive into the centre. Ships at Avonmouth and Royal Portbury docks and industry along the Severn add emissions to the west, and wood burners add fine particles in residential areas in winter, especially on cold, still evenings.
Bristol's hills and the Avon valley can trap traffic fumes on calm days, especially in winter. From November to February, cold, still evenings, averaging around 6°C in January, can hold smoke from wood burners and traffic pollution near the ground. In March and April, settled weather can bring spring smog episodes, when pollution from farming and traffic across England and Europe leaves a haze over the city. Westerly winds and rain from the Atlantic usually bring the cleanest air in Bristol.
Get pollen & AQ on Strava
Follow your environmental exposure and performance with the free Airmine-Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.
Resource Hub
Air quality forecast neighborhoods 4 neighborhoods
Popular Local Routes 5 routes
Local parkruns 155 parkruns
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Quality in Bristol, City of
Is air quality bad in Bristol right now?
On 16 October 2026, overall air quality in Bristol is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 22.7/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (NO2: 40.3/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Bristol?
On 17 October 2026, air quality conditions in Bristol will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 21.1/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (PM2.5: 34.2/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Bristol?
Bristol's hills and the Avon valley can trap traffic fumes on calm days, especially in winter. From November to February, cold, still evenings, averaging around 6°C in January, can hold smoke from wood burners and traffic pollution near the ground. In March and April, settled weather can bring spring smog episodes, when pollution from farming and traffic across England and Europe leaves a haze over the city. Westerly winds and rain from the Atlantic usually bring the cleanest air in Bristol.
Are air quality levels in Bristol 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.
Understanding the Scale
The 0–100 air quality scores represent risk levels, not direct air pollutant concentrations. Higher scores indicate higher risk.
Air Quality
| Good | 0-20 | Low air quality risk. Air quality is expected to be good, with low levels of pollution. |
| Fair | 20-40 | Generally low air quality risk. Air quality is expected to be acceptable, with some pollution present. |
| Moderate | 40-60 | Moderate air quality risk. Air pollution is elevated and air quality may be less favorable. |
| Poor | 60-80 | High air quality risk. Air pollution is high and air quality is expected to be poor. |
| Very Poor | 80-100 | Very high air quality risk. Air pollution is very high and air quality is expected to be very poor. |