SmogRank / Malawi / Northern Region

Air quality in Karonga

Northern Region, Malawi. PM2.5 from 3 low-cost sensors, updated hourly.

41.2 µg/m³
Unhealthy for sensitive groups

Mean for 26 Sept, the most recent day with readings, 2.7× the WHO 24-hour guideline. No hourly readings have reached us since; some networks publish days late.

Rank

24 h
–
not enough data
7 days
–
not enough data
30 days
#37
of 2,331 · 40.7 µg/m³
Year
#142
of 2,173 · 28.8 µg/m³

Why it ranks here

Likely fire smoke. On Sep 25, when Karonga averaged 54.5 µg/m³ (its typical day: 22.3), NASA satellites detected 1,008 fires within 300 km (37 within 100 km). Smoke from those fires is a likely contributor; we don't check which way the wind blew, and mapped smoke can be high above the ground.

Based on Karonga's own measurements, with fire detections from NASA FIRMS and smoke maps from NOAA HMS; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.

Hour by hour

No hourly readings in the last few days. The chart returns when the monitors' data arrives.

Every day for a year

SepNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepMonWedFri2025-09-29: no data2025-09-30: no data2025-10-01: no data2025-10-02: no data2025-10-03: no data2025-10-04: no data2025-10-05: no data2025-10-06: no data2025-10-07: no data2025-10-08: no data2025-10-09: no data2025-10-10: no data2025-10-11: no data2025-10-12: no data2025-10-13: no data2025-10-14: no data2025-10-15: no data2025-10-16: no data2025-10-17: no data2025-10-18: no data2025-10-19: no data2025-10-20: no data2025-10-21: no data2025-10-22: no data2025-10-23: no data2025-10-24: no data2025-10-25: no data2025-10-26: no data2025-10-27: no data2025-10-28: no data2025-10-29: no data2025-10-30: no data2025-10-31: no data2025-11-01: no data2025-11-02: no data2025-11-03: no data2025-11-04: no data2025-11-05: no data2025-11-06: no data2025-11-07: no data2025-11-08: no data2025-11-09: no data2025-11-10: no data2025-11-11: no data2025-11-12: no data2025-11-13: no data2025-11-14: no data2025-11-15: no data2025-11-16: no data2025-11-17: no data2025-11-18: no data2025-11-19: no data2025-11-20: no data2025-11-21: no data2025-11-22: no data2025-11-23: no data2025-11-24: no data2025-11-25: no data2025-11-26: no data2025-11-27: no data2025-11-28: no data2025-11-29: no data2025-11-30: no data2025-12-01: no data2025-12-02: no data2025-12-03: no data2025-12-04: no data2025-12-05: no data2025-12-06: no data2025-12-07: no data2025-12-08: no data2025-12-09: no data2025-12-10: no data2025-12-11: no data2025-12-12: no data2025-12-13: no data2025-12-14: no data2025-12-15: no data2025-12-16: no data2025-12-17: no data2025-12-18: no data2025-12-19: no data2025-12-20: no data2025-12-21: no data2025-12-22: no data2025-12-23: no data2025-12-24: no data2025-12-25: no data2025-12-26: no data2025-12-27: no data2025-12-28: no data2025-12-29: no data2025-12-30: no data2025-12-31: no data2026-01-01: no data2026-01-02: no data2026-01-03: no data2026-01-04: no data2026-01-05: no data2026-01-06: no data2026-01-07: no data2026-01-08: no data2026-01-09: no data2026-01-10: no data2026-01-11: no data2026-01-12: no data2026-01-13: no data2026-01-14: no data2026-01-15: no data2026-01-16: no data2026-01-17: no data2026-01-18: no data2026-01-19: no data2026-01-20: no data2026-01-21: no data2026-01-22: no data2026-01-23: no data2026-01-24: no data2026-01-25: no data2026-01-26: no data2026-01-27: 9.7 µg/m³2026-01-28: 17.9 µg/m³2026-01-29: 12.3 µg/m³2026-01-30: 10.9 µg/m³2026-01-31: 9.6 µg/m³2026-02-01: 13.5 µg/m³2026-02-02: 8.9 µg/m³2026-02-03: 6.7 µg/m³2026-02-04: 7.0 µg/m³2026-02-05: 15.8 µg/m³2026-02-06: 11.0 µg/m³2026-02-07: 21.9 µg/m³2026-02-08: 8.4 µg/m³2026-02-09: 13.7 µg/m³2026-02-10: 12.8 µg/m³2026-02-11: 14.9 µg/m³2026-02-12: 12.4 µg/m³2026-02-13: 14.5 µg/m³2026-02-14: 8.3 µg/m³2026-02-15: 12.5 µg/m³2026-02-16: no data2026-02-17: no data2026-02-18: no data2026-02-19: 10.7 µg/m³2026-02-20: 9.9 µg/m³2026-02-21: 17.7 µg/m³2026-02-22: 9.2 µg/m³2026-02-23: 11.8 µg/m³2026-02-24: 13.3 µg/m³2026-02-25: 188.2 µg/m³2026-02-26: no data2026-02-27: 125.0 µg/m³2026-02-28: 114.4 µg/m³2026-03-01: 132.0 µg/m³2026-03-02: 13.8 µg/m³2026-03-03: 5.9 µg/m³2026-03-04: 3.1 µg/m³2026-03-05: 13.8 µg/m³2026-03-06: 15.1 µg/m³2026-03-07: 19.3 µg/m³2026-03-08: 6.5 µg/m³2026-03-09: 5.5 µg/m³2026-03-10: 3.9 µg/m³2026-03-11: 6.0 µg/m³2026-03-12: 9.9 µg/m³2026-03-13: 20.1 µg/m³2026-03-14: 18.7 µg/m³2026-03-15: 9.1 µg/m³2026-03-16: 11.2 µg/m³2026-03-17: 11.7 µg/m³2026-03-18: 15.2 µg/m³2026-03-19: 8.5 µg/m³2026-03-20: 3.8 µg/m³2026-03-21: 3.6 µg/m³2026-03-22: 3.8 µg/m³2026-03-23: 2.0 µg/m³2026-03-24: 1.5 µg/m³2026-03-25: 2.1 µg/m³2026-03-26: 8.6 µg/m³2026-03-27: 8.6 µg/m³2026-03-28: 7.3 µg/m³2026-03-29: 9.9 µg/m³2026-03-30: 11.8 µg/m³2026-03-31: 7.5 µg/m³2026-04-01: 5.8 µg/m³2026-04-02: 6.4 µg/m³2026-04-03: 5.9 µg/m³2026-04-04: 4.2 µg/m³2026-04-05: 6.0 µg/m³2026-04-06: 11.9 µg/m³2026-04-07: 7.8 µg/m³2026-04-08: 5.4 µg/m³2026-04-09: 2.2 µg/m³2026-04-10: 4.2 µg/m³2026-04-11: 6.7 µg/m³2026-04-12: 7.4 µg/m³2026-04-13: 5.5 µg/m³2026-04-14: 2.8 µg/m³2026-04-15: 5.9 µg/m³2026-04-16: 6.9 µg/m³2026-04-17: 8.0 µg/m³2026-04-18: 9.4 µg/m³2026-04-19: 15.7 µg/m³2026-04-20: 10.6 µg/m³2026-04-21: 10.2 µg/m³2026-04-22: 7.2 µg/m³2026-04-23: 6.8 µg/m³2026-04-24: 12.8 µg/m³2026-04-25: 12.9 µg/m³2026-04-26: 16.3 µg/m³2026-04-27: 34.7 µg/m³2026-04-28: 23.8 µg/m³2026-04-29: 18.5 µg/m³2026-04-30: 12.0 µg/m³2026-05-01: 21.9 µg/m³2026-05-02: 19.5 µg/m³2026-05-03: 16.1 µg/m³2026-05-04: 18.2 µg/m³2026-05-05: 25.8 µg/m³2026-05-06: 31.0 µg/m³2026-05-07: 26.8 µg/m³2026-05-08: 19.9 µg/m³2026-05-09: 15.0 µg/m³2026-05-10: 15.7 µg/m³2026-05-11: 13.4 µg/m³2026-05-12: 10.8 µg/m³2026-05-13: 13.6 µg/m³2026-05-14: 11.6 µg/m³2026-05-15: 9.8 µg/m³2026-05-16: 11.2 µg/m³2026-05-17: 13.2 µg/m³2026-05-18: 24.3 µg/m³2026-05-19: 13.7 µg/m³2026-05-20: 17.0 µg/m³2026-05-21: 22.3 µg/m³2026-05-22: 22.9 µg/m³2026-05-23: 25.0 µg/m³2026-05-24: 21.5 µg/m³2026-05-25: 14.1 µg/m³2026-05-26: 14.0 µg/m³2026-05-27: 24.9 µg/m³2026-05-28: 17.6 µg/m³2026-05-29: 25.2 µg/m³2026-05-30: 16.6 µg/m³2026-05-31: 10.5 µg/m³2026-06-01: 10.2 µg/m³2026-06-02: 12.2 µg/m³2026-06-03: 19.3 µg/m³2026-06-04: 31.5 µg/m³2026-06-05: 23.7 µg/m³2026-06-06: 19.4 µg/m³2026-06-07: 25.4 µg/m³2026-06-08: 17.1 µg/m³2026-06-09: 23.1 µg/m³2026-06-10: 25.4 µg/m³2026-06-11: 24.4 µg/m³2026-06-12: 25.2 µg/m³2026-06-13: 23.4 µg/m³2026-06-14: 18.9 µg/m³2026-06-15: 28.5 µg/m³2026-06-16: 36.9 µg/m³2026-06-17: 37.8 µg/m³2026-06-18: 30.7 µg/m³2026-06-19: 53.1 µg/m³2026-06-20: 26.3 µg/m³2026-06-21: 19.2 µg/m³2026-06-22: 32.1 µg/m³2026-06-23: 34.2 µg/m³2026-06-24: 29.0 µg/m³2026-06-25: 41.9 µg/m³2026-06-26: 49.6 µg/m³2026-06-27: 63.3 µg/m³2026-06-28: 48.5 µg/m³2026-06-29: 47.3 µg/m³2026-06-30: 42.6 µg/m³2026-07-01: 45.0 µg/m³2026-07-02: 40.0 µg/m³2026-07-03: 49.3 µg/m³2026-07-04: 41.6 µg/m³2026-07-05: 32.8 µg/m³2026-07-06: 35.0 µg/m³2026-07-07: 37.2 µg/m³2026-07-08: 31.2 µg/m³2026-07-09: 41.3 µg/m³2026-07-10: 50.6 µg/m³2026-07-11: 42.6 µg/m³2026-07-12: 46.5 µg/m³2026-07-13: 45.8 µg/m³2026-07-14: 44.4 µg/m³2026-07-15: 54.7 µg/m³2026-07-16: 58.5 µg/m³2026-07-17: 63.5 µg/m³2026-07-18: 49.5 µg/m³2026-07-19: 45.9 µg/m³2026-07-20: 51.5 µg/m³2026-07-21: 54.2 µg/m³2026-07-22: 49.1 µg/m³2026-07-23: 46.9 µg/m³2026-07-24: 40.1 µg/m³2026-07-25: 41.0 µg/m³2026-07-26: 38.3 µg/m³2026-07-27: 21.5 µg/m³2026-07-28: 32.8 µg/m³2026-07-29: 35.3 µg/m³2026-07-30: 43.4 µg/m³2026-07-31: 49.5 µg/m³2026-08-01: 53.3 µg/m³2026-08-02: 47.6 µg/m³2026-08-03: 36.8 µg/m³2026-08-04: 43.0 µg/m³2026-08-05: 55.3 µg/m³2026-08-06: 61.9 µg/m³2026-08-07: 69.0 µg/m³2026-08-08: 72.2 µg/m³2026-08-09: 49.8 µg/m³2026-08-10: 40.6 µg/m³2026-08-11: 39.5 µg/m³2026-08-12: 43.6 µg/m³2026-08-13: 55.7 µg/m³2026-08-14: 30.8 µg/m³2026-08-15: 27.5 µg/m³2026-08-16: 40.5 µg/m³2026-08-17: 53.3 µg/m³2026-08-18: 57.3 µg/m³2026-08-19: 70.4 µg/m³2026-08-20: 62.9 µg/m³2026-08-21: 50.6 µg/m³2026-08-22: 47.2 µg/m³2026-08-23: 37.7 µg/m³2026-08-24: 60.9 µg/m³2026-08-25: 78.0 µg/m³2026-08-26: 80.9 µg/m³2026-08-27: 68.5 µg/m³2026-08-28: no data2026-08-29: no data2026-08-30: 43.7 µg/m³2026-08-31: no data2026-09-01: no data2026-09-02: no data2026-09-03: 40.6 µg/m³2026-09-04: 50.7 µg/m³2026-09-05: 43.3 µg/m³2026-09-06: 42.8 µg/m³2026-09-07: 42.5 µg/m³2026-09-08: 59.4 µg/m³2026-09-09: 47.4 µg/m³2026-09-10: 35.4 µg/m³2026-09-11: 36.0 µg/m³2026-09-12: 34.8 µg/m³2026-09-13: 39.9 µg/m³2026-09-14: 42.2 µg/m³2026-09-15: 47.2 µg/m³2026-09-16: 41.8 µg/m³2026-09-17: 24.6 µg/m³2026-09-18: 11.6 µg/m³2026-09-19: 26.9 µg/m³2026-09-20: 29.5 µg/m³2026-09-21: 43.3 µg/m³2026-09-22: 44.2 µg/m³2026-09-23: 51.3 µg/m³2026-09-24: 46.4 µg/m³2026-09-25: 54.5 µg/m³2026-09-26: 41.2 µg/m³2026-09-27: no data2026-09-28: no data2026-09-29: no data2026-09-30: no data
Good 0–9.0Moderate 9.1+Unhealthy for sensitive groups 35.5+Unhealthy 55.5+Very unhealthy 125.5+Hazardous 225.5+No data

147 of 234 measured days were over the WHO 24-hour guideline.

Daily world rank

#1#2357FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep

Rank on each day's board (1 = most polluted city that day).

2026 against 2025, month by month

15JanFeb 2026: 28.4 µg/m³FebMar 2026: 12.9 µg/m³MarApr 2026: 9.8 µg/m³AprMay 2026: 18.2 µg/m³MayJun 2026: 30.7 µg/m³JunJul 2026: 43.8 µg/m³JulAug 2026: 52.8 µg/m³AugSep 2026: 40.7 µg/m³SepOctNovDec

Faded bars: 2025. A month shows once it has 10 measured days.

Monitors

StationOperatorType
Karonga Stadium-MIfCASCC BY 4.0MIfCASLow-cost
Karonga Airport-MIfCASCC BY 4.0MIfCASLow-cost
Karonga-MIfCASCC BY 4.0MIfCASLow-cost

No reference monitor here, so the value is the median of low-cost sensors (at least two reporting each hour). Low-cost sensors can read high in humid air. Data via OpenAQ; licences as listed. How we rank. Embed this on your site.

Other cities in Malawi

Blantyre 71.0Lilongwe 65.3Zomba 61.4Mzuzu 36.5

30-day averages, µg/m³. All of Malawi →

Updated 2026-10-01 09:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 in µg/m³ (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors.