Żejtun
Żejtun · Malta · Background · Urban
What's affecting the air?(3)
Conditions across the Maltese Islands that may be influencing air quality. Context explains a reading; it never adjusts one, and it does not establish the cause of any individual measurement.
Saharan dust forecast
The CAMS model forecasts mineral dust concentrations peaking near 32 µg/m³ over the Maltese Islands, with an aerosol optical depth of about 0.26. Dust transported from North Africa may contribute to elevated PM10 and, to a lesser extent, PM2.5. Dust is a natural source, but the particles it adds affect health in much the same way as other coarse particulate matter.
May worsen air quality
ForecastModerate confidenceMaltese IslandsMost relevant to: PM10, PM2.5
–
Light winds and limited dispersion
Wind speeds are forecast to fall to about 4.1 km/h for around 13 hours. Light winds may allow locally emitted pollutants — traffic nitrogen dioxide and fine particles in particular — to accumulate near the ground instead of dispersing.
May worsen air quality
ForecastModerate confidenceMaltese IslandsMost relevant to: NO₂, PM2.5, PM10
–
Source:Open-Meteo weather forecast (ECMWF and DWD models) (Opens in a new window)Retrieved at
Shallow mixing layer — possible temperature inversion
The forecast mixing layer drops to about 225 m with warmer air above it. That pattern is the signature of a temperature inversion, which may trap pollutants close to the ground overnight and into the early morning. This is a model-based indication rather than a measured inversion.
May worsen air quality
ForecastLower confidenceMaltese IslandsMost relevant to: NO₂, PM2.5, PM10
–
Source:Open-Meteo weather forecast (ECMWF and DWD models) (Opens in a new window)Retrieved at
Air quality now
Air quality is good. Enjoy your usual outdoor activities.
Concentrations are low across every pollutant reported at this hour.
Leading pollutant: SO₂The pollutant with the highest sub-index at this hour. The overall band is the worst sub-index across the pollutants this station reported.
Live1 hour oldMeasured at Retrieved atNext reading expected around Wed 7 Oct 2026, 15:58
Near-real-time readings are provisional. ERA validates data after publication, and figures may be revised.
Pollutants measured
Measured at Wed 7 Oct 2026, 14:00
PM2.5, fine particulate matter
No value for this hour
The instrument reported nothing usable. This is not the same as a reading of zero.
What is PM2.5, fine particulate matter?PM10, coarse particulate matter
No value for this hour
The instrument reported nothing usable. This is not the same as a reading of zero.
What is PM10, coarse particulate matter?Nitrogen dioxide
No value for this hour
The instrument reported nothing usable. This is not the same as a reading of zero.
What is Nitrogen dioxide?Ozone
No value for this hour
The instrument reported nothing usable. This is not the same as a reading of zero.
What is Ozone?Sulphur dioxide
Leading pollutant-0.0 µg/m³
Sulphur dioxide: Good1.0Averaging period: Hourly
What is Sulphur dioxide?
Trends and recent history
Hourly values as published, including hours the feed filled in by modelling.
The published feed carries roughly ten days of hourly history and about two days of forecast, so no longer window is offered. Hours the instrument did not report are shown as gaps. This view covers 69 hours from Tue 6 Oct 2026, 16:00 to Fri 9 Oct 2026, 12:00.
Concentration (µg/m³)
Time (Malta)
- Measured
- Gap — no value published for that hour
- Everything to the right of this line is forecast.
- Good 0–20 µg/m³
Sulphur dioxide at Żejtun, hourly, in µg/m³, covering the last 24 hours. The published points run from Tue 6 Oct 2026, 16:00 to Fri 9 Oct 2026, 12:00. 69 hours are shown: 21 measured, 0 filled in by modelling, 0 forecast, and 48 with no value at all. Measured values ran from -0.0 µg/m³ at Tue 6 Oct 2026, 21:00 to 0.1 µg/m³ at Tue 6 Oct 2026, 18:00, averaging 0.0 µg/m³ across the 21 measured hours.
Show the values as a table
| Time (Malta) | Value | Band | How the value was obtained |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.1 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| Not available | No data | No value for this hour | |
| Not available | No data | No value for this hour | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| 0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
| -0.0 µg/m³ | Good | Measured | |
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- Lowest measured
- -0.0 µg/m³
- Average of measured hours
- 0.0 µg/m³
- Highest measured
- 0.1 µg/m³
- Hours with a measured value
- 21 of 69
Figures cover directly measured hours only. Modelled and forecast hours are excluded from the minimum, maximum and average. Near-real-time data is published before validation and may be revised or withdrawn by ERA.
Some past hours are modelled too: the feed fills gaps when an instrument does not report. Those points are marked as estimated. All times are shown in Malta time.
How this compares
SO₂ — -0.0 µg/m³
Below the EU limit value of 350 µg/m³
350 µg/m³ over 1 hour · Reference: Directive 2008/50/EC Annex XI
Below the EU limit value of 125 µg/m³
125 µg/m³ over 24 hours · Reference: Directive 2008/50/EC Annex XI
Below the WHO guideline of 40 µg/m³
40 µg/m³ over 24 hours · Reference: WHO 2021
EU limit values describe legal compliance over long averaging periods. The index bands above are for communication and are a different thing entirely. WHO guidelines are health-based guidance, not law.
What this means for you
Advice for the current band: Good
For most people
Air quality poses little or no risk. Outdoor activity is fine.
If you are more sensitive
Enjoy your usual outdoor activity.
Who is more affected, and why
- Children
- Children breathe more air for their size and spend more time active outdoors, so they take in relatively more of whatever is in the air.
- Older adults
- Existing heart or lung conditions become more common with age, and these are what air pollution tends to aggravate.
- People who are pregnant
- Reducing avoidable exposure during raised episodes is a reasonable precaution.
- People with asthma
- Raised particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone can all trigger symptoms. Keep reliever medication to hand on poor-air days.
- People with lung conditions
- COPD, bronchitis and similar conditions can flare when levels rise. Plan outdoor activity for cleaner hours where possible.
- People with heart conditions
- Fine particles are the pollutant most closely linked with cardiovascular effects during raised episodes.
- People who work outdoors
- Long shifts outdoors mean higher cumulative exposure than a short trip. Take breaks indoors when levels are raised.
- People exercising hard outdoors
- Hard exercise draws more air deeper into the lungs and often through the mouth, bypassing the nose. Consider rescheduling intense sessions when levels are raised.
Advice here is general and precautionary. Air quality is one factor among many, and staying active remains beneficial. If you have severe or sudden symptoms, seek medical help rather than relying on this page.
maqua.app provides general environmental information and does not replace medical advice or official emergency guidance.
Estimated air-quality outlook
EstimatedForecast values are model output, not measurements. Modelled estimates from the Copernicus atmosphere service, carried in the same feed.
- Prepared at
- Based on measurements up to
- Published outlook
- Wed 7 Oct 2026, 15:00 to Fri 9 Oct 2026, 12:00 (46 hours)
Lower confidence
- Looks 22 hours ahead, where the official model becomes less certain.
- This station is currently measuring only some of the pollutants it normally reports.
Highest band expected Wed 7 Oct 2026, 15:00 Highest expected band: Fair2.7
- Highest band estimated for this day: Fair
Estimated · Moderate confidence · 9 forecast hours
Driven by O₃
- Highest band estimated for this day: Fair
Estimated · Lower confidence · 24 forecast hours
Driven by O₃
- Highest band estimated for this day: Fair
Estimated · Lower confidence · 13 forecast hours
Driven by NO₂
Why the outlook looks like this
Saharan dust forecast over the islands
Mineral dust is forecast over the Maltese Islands, peaking near 32 µg/m³. Dust transported from North Africa may contribute to particulate levels, particularly PM10.
May push levels upLower confidence –
Source:Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), via Open-Meteo (Opens in a new window)Light winds may limit dispersion
Winds are forecast to average about 8 km/h. Light winds may allow locally emitted pollutants to linger rather than disperse, particularly overnight and near busy roads.
May push levels upLower confidence –
Source:Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), disseminated by the European Environment Agency (EEA) (Opens in a new window)NO₂ forecast to ease
The official forecast has NO₂ averaging about 8 µg/m³ over the coming day, against about 12 µg/m³ in recent measurements.
May bring levels downLower confidence –
Source:Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), disseminated by the European Environment Agency (EEA) (Opens in a new window)
What this outlook cannot tell you
- These are modelled values for Żejtun, not measurements, and may differ from what is later recorded there.
- The model describes regional conditions. It cannot anticipate a local event such as roadworks, a fire or a fireworks display.
- Confidence falls the further ahead the outlook reaches.
- No forecast is published for PM2.5 and SO₂ at this station, although the station measures it.
Modelled hourly concentrations from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, published alongside the measurements in the EEA European Air Quality Index dissemination layer and classified with the same European AQI bands maqua.app applies to observations. maqua.app does not model air quality and does not adjust these values.
- Source:Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), disseminated by the European Environment Agency (EEA) (Opens in a new window)(Copernicus and EEA open data)
maqua.app provides general environmental information and does not replace medical advice or official emergency guidance.
Explain this reading
Explanations are general information, not medical advice. Every number on this page is calculated by the application itself and is unaffected.
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Where this reading comes from
Air-quality data provided by Malta's Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), disseminated via the European Environment Agency (EEA). maqua.app is an independent project and is not operated by, affiliated with, or endorsed by ERA or the EEA.
Each pollutant concentration is rounded to the nearest whole microgram per cubic metre and matched against the published band ranges. The location takes the band of its worst pollutant. A missing value is shown as unavailable and never as zero. Bands are calculated only from pollutants that actually reported.
This is not an official ERA or EEA service. For official statements, consult ERA directly.
Station detail
- Station type
- BackgroundSited away from single sources to represent general exposure in the area.
- Area
- Urban
- Island
- Malta
- Altitude
- 56 m above sea level
- Coordinates
- 35.8523° N, 14.5389° E
- Operated by
- Environment & Resources Authority (ERA)
Station code: MT00004
All times are shown in Malta time.
About this station
An urban Background station in the south-east, reporting all five pollutants from a mid-elevation inland site.
Żejtun is a Background station in an Urban area, so like Attard it is sited to describe the general air of its surroundings rather than the output of one nearby source. Two urban Background stations in different parts of Malta is what makes it possible to tell a local effect from an island-wide one — if both move together, the cause is regional.
It sits 56 metres above sea level, between coastal Msida and St Paul’s Bay and the higher inland position of Attard. That middling elevation makes it a useful middle term: neither as exposed to sea spray as the coastal sites nor as removed from it as the highest ones.
It reports all five index pollutants, which — with Għarb and St Paul’s Bay — makes it one of three stations where the index is computed from the complete set rather than from whatever happened to be available.
The daily pattern here, measured
Worked out from this station's own measured hours — forecasts and gap-filled estimates are excluded, so this describes what the instruments actually recorded. The upstream feed carries roughly ten days of history, so this is the shape of a short recent sample rather than a seasonal average.
PM10 is typically highest around 08:00 (35.4 µg/m³ on average) and lowest around 17:00 (12.8 µg/m³) — a pronounced daily cycle, with the peak running 2.8× the trough. (264 measured hours over 11 days)
NO₂ is typically highest around 08:00 (44.2 µg/m³ on average) and lowest around 17:00 (4.8 µg/m³) — a pronounced daily cycle, with the peak running 9.2× the trough. (262 measured hours over 11 days)
O₃ is typically highest around 14:00 (95.8 µg/m³ on average) and lowest around 08:00 (49.3 µg/m³) — a moderate daily cycle, with the peak running 1.9× the trough. (264 measured hours over 11 days)
SO₂ stays very low here throughout the day, averaging 0.1 µg/m³ — far below the top of its Good band. At these levels the hour-to-hour differences are within the range of instrument noise, so no daily pattern is claimed from them. (263 measured hours over 11 days)
What this station answers best
Urban background air in the south-east of Malta, with every pollutant available, and a second Background reference to compare against Attard.
What it cannot tell you
- Being a Background site, it will understate kerbside exposure. Someone beside a main road in Żejtun is breathing something closer to the Msida figure.
- One monitor cannot describe a locality. The nearest station may be several kilometres and several road types from where you actually are.
Near-real-time readings are provisional. ERA validates data after publication, and figures may be revised.