Worst air pollution Millennium Park - Chicago, today and tomorrow
Today (18 July): Air quality in Millennium Park is fair. AQI and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 37.7/100).
Tomorrow (19 July 2026): Air quality in Millennium Park is fair. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 37.3/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
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Chicago's Millennium Park air quality benefits from its exceptional Lake Michigan shoreline position on the Grant Park lakefront, with Lake Michigan's powerful northerly and westerly lake winds providing consistent clean maritime ventilation. Vehicle traffic on Columbus Drive and the surrounding Michigan Avenue commercial corridor contribute local sources, while the lake's extraordinary ventilation capability maintains Millennium Park among Chicago's more reliably clean major urban park environments throughout most of the year.
Today - 18 July | Pollution peaks at 08:00
AQI:
Fair
37.7/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
11.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
7.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
11.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
37.7/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
7.3/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
7.9/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 19 July | Pollution peaks at 10:00
AQI:
Fair
37.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
12.7/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
8.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
6.5/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
37.3/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.6/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
5.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
7.8/100
Other Landmarks in Chicago
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Millennium Park right now?
On 18 July 2026, overall air quality in Millennium Park is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 37.7/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 37.7/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Millennium Park?
On 19 July 2026, air quality conditions in Millennium Park will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 37.3/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 37.3/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Millennium Park?
Millennium Park follows Chicago's typical seasonal air quality pattern — between summer ozone and occasional winter inversions, spring and fall are the year's cleanest stretch, whereas 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 Millennium Park 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