Worst air pollution Downtown Ridgecrest - Ridgecrest, today and tomorrow
Today (9 August): Air quality in Downtown Ridgecrest is poor. AQI, NO2, and O3 are poor; SO2 and PM1 are fair; PM2.5 is medium; PM10, CO, and HCHO are good. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 78.9/100).
Tomorrow (10 August 2026): Air quality in Downtown Ridgecrest is very poor. AQI worsens to very poor; PM10 increases to fair; NO2 increases to very poor; O3 decreases to medium; SO2 decreases to medium; PM1 decreases to medium; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (NO2: 98.3/100). 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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Air quality at Downtown Ridgecrest, the city's small commercial downtown in the Indian Wells Valley, generally follows the pattern seen across Ridgecrest, shaped by the same local and regional factors. Checking conditions closer to visit time is still the best way to plan around this specific site.
Today - 9 August | Pollution peaks at 19:00
AQI:
Poor
78.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
40.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
19.4/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Poor
78.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Poor
66.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
38.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
6.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
33.9/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 10 August | Pollution peaks at 20:00
AQI:
Very poor
98.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Medium
42.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
25.0/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Very poor
98.3/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
50.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Medium
42.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
6.2/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Medium
40.6/100
Other Landmarks in Ridgecrest
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Downtown Ridgecrest right now?
On 9 August 2026, overall air quality in Downtown Ridgecrest is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 78.9/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 PM (NO2: 78.9/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Downtown Ridgecrest?
On 10 August 2026, air quality conditions in Downtown Ridgecrest will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at very poor at 98.3/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 PM (NO2: 98.3/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Downtown Ridgecrest?
Like the rest of Ridgecrest, Downtown Ridgecrest sees air quality change through the year, as winter typically brings the cleanest stretch, once occasional rain clears the basin; by contrast, from August into October, wildfire smoke can add sharp particulate spikes on top of the usual summer ozone. The mountains ringing the basin can trap pollution close to the ground for days when winds are calm.
Are air quality levels in Downtown Ridgecrest 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: 9 August 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.
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