Worst air pollution South Lake Tahoe, today and tomorrow
Today (30 August): Air quality in South Lake Tahoe is moderate. AQI and NO2 are moderate; PM2.5, PM10, and O3 are fair; SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (NO2: 52.4/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in South Lake Tahoe is moderate. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (NO2: 46.3/100). 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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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 - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 22:00
AQI:
Moderate
52.4/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
22.2/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
23.2/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
52.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
39.5/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
15.3/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
8.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
17.2/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 00:00
AQI:
Moderate
46.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
30.8/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Fair
31.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Moderate
46.3/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
31.4/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
15.0/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
4.4/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
13.9/100
Pollen forecast in South Lake Tahoe
View pollen forecastFrequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in South Lake Tahoe right now?
On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in South Lake Tahoe is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 52.4/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 PM (NO2: 52.4/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in South Lake Tahoe?
On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in South Lake Tahoe will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 46.3/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 AM (NO2: 46.3/100).
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.
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: 30 August 2026 at 14:32 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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