Worst air pollution China Lake - Ridgecrest, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in China Lake is moderate. AQI and NO2 are moderate; PM2.5, PM10, and O3 are fair; SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (NO2: 42.9/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in China Lake is poor. AQI worsens to poor; NO2 increases to poor; PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (NO2: 67.9/100). 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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In China Lake, quieter roads here mean surrounding agricultural activity, more than congestion, tends to shape local particulate levels. Green space in the area offers some natural filtering, softening the local particulate load somewhat. Conditions on any given day depend heavily on wind speed and direction locally. Nearby areas with a similar setup tend to show a comparable air quality baseline.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 17:00
AQI:
Moderate
42.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
26.4/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
37.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
42.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
28.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
1.6/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.6/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
3.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
11.3/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 16:00
AQI:
Poor
67.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
31.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
23.6/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
67.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
32.5/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
3.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.6/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
3.9/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
20.2/100
Other Landmarks in Ridgecrest
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in China Lake right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in China Lake is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 42.9/100. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (NO2: 42.9/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in China Lake?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in China Lake will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at poor at 67.9/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 PM (NO2: 67.9/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in China Lake?
From November to January, average wind speeds run around 12 km/h with temperatures near 10°C, calm and cool enough to let particulate matter and smoke build up near the ground rather than disperse. From June to August, temperatures average around 30°C, warm enough for strong sun and heat to drive ground-level ozone formation.
Are air quality levels in China Lake 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 20:27 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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