Worst air pollution Blue Ridge Parkway - Asheville, today and tomorrow
Today (16 July): Air quality in Blue Ridge Parkway is poor. AQI and O3 are poor; PM2.5 and PM1 are fair; NO2 is medium; PM10, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 65.0/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Blue Ridge Parkway is fair. AQI improves to medium; O3 decreases to medium; 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 Blue Ridge Parkway air quality benefits from the elevated Appalachian Mountain position at 600 to 1,800 metres, with consistent Appalachian westerly winds providing reliable ventilation along the famous scenic roadway. The extraordinary dense Appalachian forest provides exceptional natural filtration, while summer ozone from transported upwind sources and the naturally high biogenic VOC emissions are documented concerns and summer wildfire smoke is an increasingly frequent seasonal challenge throughout the year.
Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 10:00
AQI:
Poor
65.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
24.7/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
18.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
43.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Poor
65.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
10.1/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
7.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
20.4/100
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
22.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
13.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
42.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
53.5/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
9.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
6.4/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
20.8/100
Other Landmarks in Asheville
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Blue Ridge Parkway right now?
On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Blue Ridge Parkway 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 Blue Ridge Parkway?
On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Blue Ridge Parkway will be better than today, with PM2.5 forecast at fair at 22.5/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 53.5/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Blue Ridge Parkway?
Seasonal changes shape air quality at Blue Ridge Parkway much as they do across Asheville. Typically, the cleanest conditions usually arrive in winter, once the humid summer ozone season has ended, while summer heat, humidity, and emissions from surrounding forests combine to drive ozone levels up. Prescribed burns are more common in the cooler months and can add brief smoke episodes.
Are air quality levels in Blue Ridge Parkway 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