Worst air pollution The Hoe & Barbican - Plymouth, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in The Hoe & Barbican is fair. AQI, PM2.5, and PM10 are fair; NO2, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 6:00 PM (PM2.5: 25.2/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in The Hoe & Barbican is moderate. AQI worsens to moderate; NO2 increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 46.6/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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The Hoe & Barbican's position in Plymouth means air quality is mostly determined by local road traffic and the compact scale of the centre. The A38 sees the heaviest traffic, and that shows up clearly in local roadside monitoring. The area's changeable Atlantic weather offer a degree of natural ventilation, keeping pollution broadly in line with comparable UK towns.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 18:00
AQI:
Fair
25.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
25.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
22.9/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
16.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
13.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.6/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
1.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
7.2/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 19:00
AQI:
Moderate
46.6/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
34.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
28.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
46.6/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
13.1/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.9/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.7/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
2.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
17.4/100
Other Landmarks in Plymouth
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in The Hoe & Barbican right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in The Hoe & Barbican is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 25.2/100. Pollution peaks around 6:00 PM (PM2.5: 25.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in The Hoe & Barbican?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in The Hoe & Barbican will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 46.6/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 46.6/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in The Hoe & Barbican?
The Hoe & Barbican's air quality follows a familiar seasonal pattern most UK towns share. Warmer months swap one problem for another — less smoke and heating pollution, but more ozone on the sunniest days. The coldest months usually bring the worst readings, as heating and temperature inversions keep A38 emissions from dispersing normally. Spring and autumn don't usually cause much concern, sitting comfortably between winter's peak and summer's ozone spikes.
Are air quality levels in The Hoe & Barbican 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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