Worst air pollution Jockey's Ridge State Park - Outer Banks, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Jockey's Ridge State Park is poor. AQI and O3 are poor; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (O3: 65.0/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Jockey's Ridge State Park is medium. 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.

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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Jockey's Ridge State Park's air quality benefits from its exceptional Outer Banks Atlantic Ocean and Albemarle Sound dual-coastal dune position, with consistent and powerful Atlantic and Sound breezes providing outstanding maritime ventilation around the East Coast's largest active sand dune. Vehicle traffic on the surrounding US-158 Bypass contributes modest local sources, while the extraordinary dual-coast exposure and the constantly wind-sculpted dune environment generally maintain excellent conditions at this remarkable natural phenomenon throughout most of the year.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 10:00

AQI:

Poor

65.0/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

17.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

12.9/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0/100

O3 (ozone):

Poor

65.0/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

7.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

14.2/100

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):

Good

15.8/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

9.2/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Good

0/100

O3 (ozone):

Medium

53.5/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

0/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

6.4/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

14.6/100

Other Landmarks in Outer Banks

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Jockey's Ridge State Park right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Jockey's Ridge State Park 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 Jockey's Ridge State Park?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Jockey's Ridge State Park will be better than today, with AQI forecast at medium at 53.5/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (O3: 53.5/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Jockey's Ridge State Park?

Jockey's Ridge State Park experiences the same seasonal air quality swings as the rest of Outer Banks, as winter is typically the cleanest season, with mild temperatures and fewer stagnant air episodes; by contrast, summer heat, humidity, and emissions from surrounding forests combine to drive ozone levels up. Prescribed burns are more common in the cooler months and can add brief smoke episodes.

Are air quality levels in Jockey's Ridge State Park 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