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Bahía Blanca occupies a strategic position in southwestern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, where the Napostá Grande River meets the Atlantic Ocean's Bahía Blanca estuary. This port city sits at a modest elevation of approximately 20 meters above sea level on the flat Pampas plains, with its urban core extending across a gentle coastal plain. The surrounding landscape is predominantly agricultural—part of Argentina's fertile Pampas region—with extensive grain farming and livestock operations that generate agricultural dust and occasional biomass burning. To the northwest lies the Sierra de la Ventana mountain range, about 100 kilometers distant, which can influence local wind patterns. The city's deep-water port, Puerto Galván, supports significant industrial activity including petrochemical plants, fertilizer production, and grain terminals, creating an industrial belt along the waterfront that contributes to urban air pollution. Bahía Blanca's location at the edge of the Pampas creates a distinct urban-rural gradient, with cleaner air flowing from the sparsely populated southern plains but occasionally trapping pollutants when winds are calm. The estuary moderates local humidity and can lead to sea breezes that disperse pollutants, though temperature inversions in winter months sometimes trap emissions near ground level. The city's growth as an agricultural export hub and energy center has intensified its air quality challenges, particularly from port operations and vehicular traffic in the compact urban center.

In Bahía Blanca's temperate climate, air quality follows distinct seasonal patterns shaped by meteorological conditions. During summer (December-February), higher temperatures and increased solar radiation can elevate ground-level ozone, particularly on calm, sunny days when industrial and vehicular emissions react with sunlight. Sea breezes from the Bahía Blanca estuary typically provide afternoon ventilation, making late summer mornings the least favorable for outdoor activity for sensitive groups. Autumn (March-May) brings more variable conditions as temperatures cool; pollution levels generally decrease with more frequent frontal systems bringing cleansing winds from the southwest, though agricultural burning after harvests can cause temporary spikes in particulate matter. Winter (June-August) presents the most challenging season for air quality, with frequent temperature inversions trapping pollutants near the surface during calm, cold nights—especially in July and August when domestic heating emissions combine with industrial output. Dense radiation fog often forms overnight, mixing with pollution to create persistent haze that dissipates slowly in the morning. Sensitive individuals should limit early morning outdoor exposure during winter inversions. Spring (September-November) sees improving conditions as increasing winds and precipitation help disperse accumulated pollutants, though windy days can lift dust from agricultural fields. The transitional months of October and November typically offer the cleanest air for outdoor activities, with consistent ventilation and reduced heating demands.