Worst air pollution Atlanta, today and tomorrow

Today (18 July): Air quality in Atlanta is fair. AQI and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 29.5/100).
Tomorrow (19 July 2026): Air quality in Atlanta is fair. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 29.9/100). 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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Atlanta's air quality is driven by some of the highest vehicle miles travelled per capita in the US, with the city's vast highway network generating sustained ozone precursor emissions across the Piedmont basin. The surrounding Appalachian foothills limit dispersal on calm days, making Atlanta a persistent non-attainment area for ground-level ozone.

Today - 18 July | Pollution peaks at 07:00

AQI:

Fair

29.5/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

12.2/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

18.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

29.5/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

0.8/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

3.0/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 19 July | Pollution peaks at 12:00

AQI:

Fair

29.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

10.8/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

15.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

29.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

1.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

3.1/100

Pollen forecast in Atlanta

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Air quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Atlanta

Sports venues in Atlanta

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Atlanta right now?

On 18 July 2026, overall air quality in Atlanta is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 29.5/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 29.5/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Atlanta?

On 19 July 2026, air quality conditions in Atlanta will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 29.9/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 29.9/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Atlanta?

Air quality in Atlanta shifts across the year. Typically, mild winter weather usually brings the year's cleanest air, while hot, humid summer days bring the highest ozone risk, amplified by natural emissions from the dense surrounding forests. Occasional agricultural or prescribed-burning smoke can add short-lived particulate spikes outside the main summer ozone season.

Are air quality levels in Atlanta 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: 18 July 2026 at 21:30 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