Worst air pollution South Lake Tahoe, today and tomorrow
Today (15 July): Air quality in South Lake Tahoe is fair. PM2.5 is fair; AQI, NO2, and O3 are medium; PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (NO2: 51.9/100).
Tomorrow (16 July 2026): Air quality in South Lake Tahoe is fair. PM10 increases to fair; SO2 increases to fair; PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 9:00 PM (NO2: 59.8/100). 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 South Lake Tahoe, alpine lake air is the main influence on air quality, and wildfire smoke drifting into the basin is the leading air quality concern. Day-to-day conditions in South Lake Tahoe can still vary with local weather, wind direction, and time of year. Local topography and prevailing winds both play a role in how quickly conditions change.
Today - 15 July | Pollution peaks at 15:00
AQI:
Medium
51.9/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
20.3/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
15.5/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
51.9/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
46.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
16.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
6.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
15.4/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 21:00
AQI:
Medium
59.8/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
35.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
30.5/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Medium
59.8/100
O3 (ozone):
Medium
48.6/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Fair
21.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
9.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
24.5/100
Pollen forecast in South Lake Tahoe
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in South Lake Tahoe right now?
On 15 July 2026, overall air quality in South Lake Tahoe is fair. PM2.5 is the main pollutant at 20.3/100. Pollution peaks around 3:00 PM (NO2: 51.9/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in South Lake Tahoe?
On 16 July 2026, air quality conditions in South Lake Tahoe will be similar to today, with PM2.5 forecast at fair at 35.5/100. Pollution peaks around 9:00 PM (NO2: 59.8/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in South Lake Tahoe?
Air quality in South Lake Tahoe shifts across the year, as the shortest stretch of clean air usually falls in the wetter winter months; by contrast, hot, sunny summer conditions drive persistent ozone problems, compounded by wildfire smoke risk into early autumn. The mountains ringing the basin can trap pollution close to the ground for days when winds are calm.
Are air quality levels in South Lake Tahoe 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