Worst air pollution Salem, today and tomorrow
Today (15 July): Air quality in Salem is medium. AQI and O3 are medium; PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (O3: 43.8/100).
Tomorrow (16 July 2026): Air quality in Salem is fair. AQI worsens to fair; O3 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 4:00 AM (O3: 37.0/100). 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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Salem's air quality reflects the Willamette Valley's enclosed basin between the Coast Range and the Cascades, with vehicle emissions from I-5 and residential wood burning the primary local sources in Oregon's state capital. Winter temperature inversions in the valley can trap smoke and vehicle emissions under persistent fog and cold-air pools, while summer wildfire smoke from the surrounding Oregon and Washington forests is an increasingly frequent and severe seasonal air quality concern.
Today - 15 July | Pollution peaks at 09:00
AQI:
Medium
43.8/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
8.6/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
4.4/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
43.8/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
8.0/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
7.3/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 04:00
AQI:
Fair
37.0/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Good
5.4/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
2.4/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.7/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
37.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
4.6/100
Pollen forecast in Salem
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Salem right now?
On 15 July 2026, overall air quality in Salem is medium. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 43.8/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 AM (O3: 43.8/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Salem?
On 16 July 2026, air quality conditions in Salem will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at fair at 37.0/100. Pollution peaks around 4:00 AM (O3: 37.0/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Salem?
Seasonal changes shape air quality across Salem, as spring is often the freshest stretch, sandwiched between winter rain and summer fire season; by contrast, by late summer, wildfire smoke can override the region's usual clean-air advantage for days at a time. Winter temperature inversions can briefly trap wood-smoke in low-lying valleys, but these episodes are usually short-lived.
Are air quality levels in Salem 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