Worst air pollution Kannapolis, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Kannapolis is poor. AQI and O3 are poor; PM2.5 and PM1 are fair; NO2 is medium; PM10, SO2, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 65.0/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Kannapolis is fair. AQI improves to medium; O3 decreases to medium; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 53.5/100). 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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Kannapolis's air quality reflects the Piedmont Triad's North Carolina manufacturing corridor, with vehicle emissions from I-85 and the surrounding Cabarrus County pharmaceutical and NovaBay Pharmaceuticals biotech research corridor — Kannapolis hosting David H. Murdock Research Institute — contributing local sources. The gentle Piedmont terrain provides reasonable wind dispersal, while summer ozone from the broader Charlotte metropolitan vehicle emissions and regional southeastern US industrial sources is the primary warm-season concern throughout the year.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 10:00

AQI:

Poor

65.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

25.8/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

19.7/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Medium

46.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Poor

65.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

11.7/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

7.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

21.1/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 08:00

AQI:

Medium

53.5/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Fair

23.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

14.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Medium

45.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

53.5/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

11.0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

6.4/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

21.6/100

Pollen forecast in Kannapolis

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Kannapolis right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Kannapolis is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 65.0/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 65.0/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Kannapolis?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Kannapolis will be better than today, with PM2.5 forecast at fair at 23.5/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 53.5/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Kannapolis?

Air quality across Kannapolis rises and falls with the seasons, as once summer humidity fades, winter typically offers the most consistently clean air; by contrast, summer heat combined with the region's dense forest cover drives an extended ozone season. Occasional agricultural or prescribed-burning smoke can add short-lived particulate spikes outside the main summer ozone season.

Are air quality levels in Kannapolis 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.

Want to see air quality forecasts for other cities in United States?

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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 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