Worst air pollution Historic Valley Junction - Des Moines, today and tomorrow

Today (1 August): Air quality in Historic Valley Junction is fair. AQI, NO2, and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 36.3/100).
Tomorrow (2 August 2026): Air quality in Historic Valley Junction is fair. NO2 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 33.1/100). 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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Des Moines' Historic Valley Junction air quality reflects the historic West Des Moines commercial and arts corridor, with vehicle traffic on the surrounding 5th Street corridor contributing local sources. The flat terrain allows reasonable dispersal, while the neighbourhood's walkable arts character and the historic district scale generally maintain moderate Des Moines metropolitan readings throughout most of the year.

Today - 1 August | Pollution peaks at 08:00

AQI:

Fair

36.3/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

8.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

3.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

30.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

36.3/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

2.0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

5.3/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

7.6/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 2 August | Pollution peaks at 07:00

AQI:

Fair

33.1/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

9.8/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

6.2/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

4.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

33.1/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

2.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

3.4/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

6.5/100

Other Landmarks in Des Moines

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Historic Valley Junction right now?

On 1 August 2026, overall air quality in Historic Valley Junction is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 36.3/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 36.3/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Historic Valley Junction?

On 2 August 2026, air quality conditions in Historic Valley Junction will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 33.1/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (O3: 33.1/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Historic Valley Junction?

Seasonal changes shape air quality at Historic Valley Junction much as they do across Des Moines. In short, winter generally brings the cleanest air, aside from brief inversion episodes during calm cold spells, whereas both spring planting and autumn harvest bring short bursts of elevated dust and smoke. Farm-heavy surrounding land is the main source of the seasonal dust spikes.

Are air quality levels in Historic Valley Junction 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: 1 August 2026 at 15:54 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.

For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app