Worst air pollution Lexington, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Lexington is medium. AQI and O3 are medium; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 40.2/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Lexington is fair. AQI worsens to fair; O3 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 38.6/100). 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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Lexington's air quality in Kentucky reflects the Bluegrass region's position in the Ohio Valley airshed, with vehicle emissions from I-75 and I-64 and the surrounding bourbon distillery and horse farm agricultural operations contributing the primary local sources. The gentle Kentucky Bluegrass terrain provides reasonable wind dispersal, while the broader Ohio River valley's summer ozone burden from regional and local vehicle emissions is the primary warm-season concern.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 13:00

AQI:

Medium

40.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

19.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

9.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

9.9/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

40.2/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

1.9/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

1.7/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

13.0/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 13:00

AQI:

Fair

38.6/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

18.0/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

8.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

13.1/100

O3 (ozone):

Fair

38.6/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

2.0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

2.1/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

11.0/100

Pollen forecast in Lexington

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Air quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Lexington

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Lexington right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Lexington is medium. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 40.2/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 40.2/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Lexington?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Lexington will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at fair at 38.6/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 38.6/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Lexington?

Lexington's air quality has a clear seasonal rhythm — the cleanest conditions usually arrive in winter, once the humid summer ozone season has ended, whereas 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 Lexington 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.

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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