Worst air pollution Upper West Side - New York, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in Upper West Side is fair. AQI and O3 are fair; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 27.2/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in Upper West Side is fair. NO2 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 28.4/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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New York's Upper West Side benefits from Central Park's substantial green buffer to the east and Riverside Park along the Hudson to the west, sandwiching the neighbourhood between two significant clean-air corridors. Traffic on Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue contributes moderate baseline NO₂ throughout the year.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 13:00
AQI:
Fair
27.2/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
15.0/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
7.7/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
16.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
27.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.7/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.5/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
3.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
5.4/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 13:00
AQI:
Fair
28.4/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
10.9/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
5.4/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
22.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
28.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.5/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.7/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
4.0/100
Other Landmarks in New York
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Upper West Side right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in Upper West Side is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 27.2/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 27.2/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Upper West Side?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in Upper West Side will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at fair at 28.4/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 28.4/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Upper West Side?
Air quality around Upper West Side changes with the seasons: the shoulder seasons bring the most consistently clean air of the year, but hot, humid summer days bring the highest ozone risk, often worsened by pollution transported in from other regions. Coastal sea breezes can offer some relief from inland summer ozone buildup.
Are air quality levels in Upper West Side 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: 20 September 2026 at 14:33 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.
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.
Some text on this page may be generated or summarised using artificial intelligence (AI). Wherever possible, AI-generated content is enriched with Airmine's proprietary data to improve its accuracy and relevance. However, AI-generated content may still contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.
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