Worst air pollution Houston, today and tomorrow

On 18 July 2026, overall air quality in Houston is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 29.9/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (O3: 29.9/100).

On 19 July 2026, air quality conditions in Houston will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 24.9/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 24.9/100).

Houston sees air quality change through the year, as between summer heat and winter cedar season, spring and fall offer the most moderate conditions; by contrast, the hottest summer months consistently bring the highest ozone risk statewide. Dust from West Texas can occasionally drift across the state and add to particulate levels.

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.

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.