Worst air pollution Asheville, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Asheville is poor. AQI and O3 are poor; PM2.5 is fair; NO2 is medium; PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 65.0/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Asheville is fair. AQI improves to medium; NO2 increases to fair; O3 decreases to medium; PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 53.5/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
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Asheville's air quality reflects the Blue Ridge Mountains' enclosed basin position, with the city sitting in the Swannanoa and French Broad river valley confluence surrounded by the Southern Appalachian ridgelines. The topographic enclosure concentrates vehicle emissions from I-26 and I-40 under winter inversions, while the surrounding Southern Appalachian forest's naturally high biogenic VOC emissions combine with vehicle NOₓ to drive summer ozone formation in this scenic mountain city.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 10:00
AQI:
Poor
65.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
23.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
17.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
40.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Poor
65.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
8.4/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
7.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
19.5/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 08:00
AQI:
Medium
53.5/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
21.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
12.6/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
38.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
53.5/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
7.8/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
6.4/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
20.0/100
Pollen forecast in Asheville
View pollen forecastAir quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Asheville
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Asheville right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Asheville is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 65.0/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 65.0/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Asheville?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Asheville will be better than today, with NO2 forecast at fair at 38.8/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 53.5/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Asheville?
Seasonal changes shape air quality across Asheville: the cleanest conditions usually arrive in winter, once the humid summer ozone season has ended, but summer heat combined with the region's dense forest cover drives an extended ozone season. Prescribed burns are more common in the cooler months and can add brief smoke episodes.
Are air quality levels in Asheville 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: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 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.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app