Worst air pollution Third Ward - Houston, today and tomorrow

Today (18 July): Air quality in Third Ward is fair. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 are fair; NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 AM (O3: 29.9/100).
Tomorrow (19 July 2026): Air quality in Third Ward is fair. PM2.5 decreases to good; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 24.9/100). 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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Houston's Third Ward air quality reflects the historic African-American neighbourhood adjacent to the University of Houston, with vehicle traffic on Almeda Road and Blodgett Street contributing local sources. The surrounding Texas Southern University and UH campus operations provide a relatively clean academic buffer, while the flat terrain allows reasonable dispersal and the neighbourhood's community character maintains moderate Houston metropolitan readings throughout most of the year.

Today - 18 July | Pollution peaks at 11:00

AQI:

Fair

29.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

22.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

22.6/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.0/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

29.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

0.9/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

3.7/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 19 July | Pollution peaks at 12:00

AQI:

Fair

24.9/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

19.2/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Fair

21.8/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

24.9/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

1.2/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

3.7/100

Other Landmarks in Houston

Sports venues in Houston

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Third Ward right now?

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

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Third Ward?

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

When is air pollution at its worst in Third Ward?

Third Ward experiences the same seasonal air quality swings as the rest of Houston. In short, between summer heat and winter cedar season, spring and fall offer the most moderate conditions, whereas intense summer heat drives persistent ozone problems, particularly in and around the largest metro areas. Dust from West Texas can occasionally drift across the state and add to particulate levels.

Are air quality levels in Third Ward 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