Worst air pollution Charlottesville, today and tomorrow

Today (9 August): Air quality in Charlottesville is fair. AQI and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (O3: 32.2/100).
Tomorrow (10 August 2026): Air quality in Charlottesville is fair. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 37.0/100). 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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Charlottesville's air quality benefits from the Blue Ridge Mountain valley position in central Virginia, with vehicle emissions from I-64 and US-29 and the University of Virginia campus contributing local sources. The surrounding Appalachian highlands create topographic variation, while summer ozone from the naturally high biogenic Appalachian VOC emissions combining with vehicle NOₓ is the primary warm-season concern, and the mountain valley setting provides generally moderate baseline conditions.

Today - 9 August | Pollution peaks at 09:00

AQI:

Fair

32.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

11.1/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

4.2/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.6/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

32.2/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

2.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

7.6/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 10 August | Pollution peaks at 08:00

AQI:

Fair

37.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

9.2/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

3.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.6/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

37.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

2.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

6.2/100

Pollen forecast in Charlottesville

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Air quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Charlottesville

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Charlottesville right now?

On 9 August 2026, overall air quality in Charlottesville is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 32.2/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (O3: 32.2/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Charlottesville?

On 10 August 2026, air quality conditions in Charlottesville will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 37.0/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 37.0/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Charlottesville?

Charlottesville sees air quality change through the year. Typically, winter generally brings the cleanest air, once the summer ozone season has passed, while hot, humid summer conditions and regional haze drive ozone spikes, especially during heat waves. Dense urban traffic corridors add a persistent background level of pollution that varies less by season than ozone does.

Are air quality levels in Charlottesville 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: 9 August 2026 at 20:27 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.

Disclaimer: Forecasts are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. Actual pollen and air quality conditions may vary from the forecast. If you have allergies, asthma, or another medical condition, consult a healthcare professional. Please see our Terms of Service for important information about limitations of liability.

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