Worst air pollution Champaign, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Champaign is fair. AQI, NO2, and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 34.1/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Champaign is fair. NO2 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 38.0/100). 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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Champaign's air quality benefits from the flat Illinois agricultural plain providing excellent natural wind dispersal, with prevailing westerly Prairie State winds generally keeping readings at moderate to low levels. Vehicle emissions from I-57 and I-72 and the University of Illinois campus traffic are the primary local sources, while agricultural ammonia from the surrounding Champaign County corn and soy operations contributes secondary particulate formation and summer regional ozone from agricultural and Midwest industrial sources is the primary warm-season concern.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 07:00

AQI:

Fair

34.1/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

13.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

12.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

26.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

34.1/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

4.1/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

4.9/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

8.6/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 07:00

AQI:

Fair

38.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

14.6/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

8.4/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

16.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

38.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

2.5/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

5.6/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

9.3/100

Pollen forecast in Champaign

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Air quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Champaign

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Champaign right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Champaign is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 34.1/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 34.1/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Champaign?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Champaign will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 38.0/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 38.0/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Champaign?

Conditions in Champaign vary noticeably across the seasons. Typically, the mildest, cleanest weather usually falls in spring and autumn, while prolonged summer heat waves are when air quality most often dips into unhealthy territory. Calm, cold winter spells can occasionally allow local pollution to build up before the next weather system clears it.

Are air quality levels in Champaign 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