Worst air pollution Carmel-by-the-Sea, today and tomorrow

Today (15 July): Air quality in Carmel-by-the-Sea is poor. AQI and O3 are poor; PM2.5, NO2, and PM1 are fair; PM10, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 61.0/100).
Tomorrow (16 July 2026): Air quality in Carmel-by-the-Sea is fair. AQI improves to fair; O3 decreases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (O3: 39.3/100). 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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Air quality in Carmel-by-the-Sea is driven mostly by cool Pacific fog — marine fog and onshore breeze keep pollutant levels low year-round. These factors combine to give Carmel-by-the-Sea a fairly typical seasonal air quality pattern for this part of the country. Local topography and prevailing winds both play a role in how quickly conditions change.

Today - 15 July | Pollution peaks at 10:00

AQI:

Poor

61.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

25.3/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

15.7/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

30.5/100

O3 (ozone):

Poor

61.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

10.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

3.2/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

20.7/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 11:00

AQI:

Fair

39.3/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

26.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

14.1/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

27.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

39.3/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

8.5/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

3.2/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

21.5/100

Pollen forecast in Carmel-by-the-Sea

View pollen forecast

Sports venues in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Carmel-by-the-Sea right now?

On 15 July 2026, overall air quality in Carmel-by-the-Sea is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 61.0/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 61.0/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

On 16 July 2026, air quality conditions in Carmel-by-the-Sea will be better than today, with AQI forecast at fair at 39.3/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (O3: 39.3/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Seasonal changes shape air quality across Carmel-by-the-Sea, as the cleanest air usually comes in winter, when storms periodically flush pollution out of the basin; by contrast, summer sunshine and heat drive some of the worst ozone readings in the country. The mountains ringing the basin can trap pollution close to the ground for days when winds are calm.

Are air quality levels in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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