Downtown Ottawa, Ottawa Air Quality Forecast - Today, Tomorrow
Air Quality Today
Today (10 October): Air quality in Downtown Ottawa is good. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 16.4/100).
Air Quality Tomorrow
Tomorrow (11 October 2026): Air quality in Downtown Ottawa is fair. AQI worsens to fair; NO2 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (NO2: 21.3/100).
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Air Quality
Today - 10 October
| Pollutant | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| AQI | Good | 16.4/100 |
| PM2.5 (fine particles) | Good | 14.0/100 |
| PM10 (coarse particles) | Good | 8.9/100 |
| NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) | Good | 16.3/100 |
| O3 (ozone) | Good | 16.4/100 |
| SO2 (sulfur dioxide) | Good | 0.6/100 |
| CO (carbon monoxide) | Good | 0.5/100 |
| HCHO (formaldehyde) | Good | 2.9/100 |
| PM1 (ultrafine particles) | Good | 5.7/100 |
Tomorrow - 11 October
| Pollutant | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| AQI | Fair | 21.3/100 |
| PM2.5 (fine particles) | Good | 12.6/100 |
| PM10 (coarse particles) | Good | 7.4/100 |
| NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) | Fair | 21.3/100 |
| O3 (ozone) | Good | 14.7/100 |
| SO2 (sulfur dioxide) | Good | 0.6/100 |
| CO (carbon monoxide) | Good | 0.5/100 |
| HCHO (formaldehyde) | Good | 3.3/100 |
| PM1 (ultrafine particles) | Good | 5.6/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
This part of Ottawa combines built-up streets with more open land, so local traffic matters, though emissions are less concentrated than in a city center. Home heating, especially wood stoves and fireplaces, adds smoke and fine particles in the colder months. Parks and street trees provide a modest buffer against traffic pollution. Winds here are fairly strong, averaging around 15 km/h, which helps disperse local pollution.
Warm, sunny weather from June to August, around 24°C at its peak, raises afternoon ozone levels. In contrast, the cooler months, November to March, see more fine particles, as home heating and traffic add emissions while frequent calm, cold mornings around -5°C keep pollution near the ground. On the plus side, stronger winds around March, about 20 km/h on average, usually bring some of the cleanest air of the year.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Air Quality in Illinois
Is air quality bad in Downtown Ottawa right now?
On 10 October 2026, overall air quality in Downtown Ottawa is good. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 16.4/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 16.4/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Downtown Ottawa?
On 11 October 2026, air quality conditions in Downtown Ottawa will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at fair at 21.3/100. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (NO2: 21.3/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Downtown Ottawa?
Warm, sunny weather from June to August, around 24°C at its peak, raises afternoon ozone levels. In contrast, the cooler months, November to March, see more fine particles, as home heating and traffic add emissions while frequent calm, cold mornings around -5°C keep pollution near the ground. On the plus side, stronger winds around March, about 20 km/h on average, usually bring some of the cleanest air of the year.
Are air quality levels in Downtown Ottawa 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.
Understanding the Scale
The 0–100 air quality scores represent risk levels, not direct air pollutant concentrations. Higher scores indicate higher risk.
Air Quality
| Good | 0-20 | Low air quality risk. Air quality is expected to be good, with low levels of pollution. |
| Fair | 20-40 | Generally low air quality risk. Air quality is expected to be acceptable, with some pollution present. |
| Moderate | 40-60 | Moderate air quality risk. Air pollution is elevated and air quality may be less favorable. |
| Poor | 60-80 | High air quality risk. Air pollution is high and air quality is expected to be poor. |
| Very Poor | 80-100 | Very high air quality risk. Air pollution is very high and air quality is expected to be very poor. |