Scottsdale Air Quality in Spring
Across 2019–2025, Scottsdale's spring (March–May) air quality had a median AQI of 85 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ area. 33.4% of spring days (215 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 70.2% of days. The cleanest spring on record here was 2019 (median AQI 71, 5 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 191, 72 days above 100, peak AQI 236).
- Good: 5.7%
- Moderate: 60.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 14.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 18.5%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Scottsdale
Today's main pollutant in Scottsdale is ground-level ozone (AQI 47). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Levoit Core 300 — True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
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How is the air in Scottsdale in spring?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 85 across 2019–2025, with 33.4% of spring days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓5.7% of spring days were Good (AQI 0–50), 60.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓215 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the spring peak was 763.
- ✓Cleanest month: March; worst month: April.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Scottsdale in spring?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Scottsdale in spring was 85 (Moderate). 5.7% of days were Good, 60.9% Moderate, and 33.4% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is spring a good time for outdoor exercise in Scottsdale?▾
A typical spring day in Scottsdale is Moderate (median AQI 85): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 3 of spring days (33.4%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Scottsdale's spring air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 70.2% of spring days in Scottsdale. The highest spring AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 763 (Hazardous), in 2021.
Scottsdale spring air quality, year by year
Scottsdale spring air quality by year (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 92 | 71 | 5 | 208 | O3 |
| 2020 | 92 | 164 | 69 | 274 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 92 | 191 | 72 | 236 | O3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 77 | 17 | 140 | PM10 |
| 2023 | 92 | 74 | 15 | 161 | O3 |
| 2024 | 92 | 74 | 16 | 126 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 84 | 21 | 763 | O3 |
What spring air means in Scottsdale
A typical spring day in Scottsdale is Moderate (median AQI 85): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 3 of spring days (33.4%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Spring's median AQI of 85 is above Scottsdale's whole-year median of 79, making it one of the area's dirtier periods. Nationally, the median Spring AQI across every EPA metro area (307,196 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 43, so Scottsdale runs above the national Spring norm; 33.4% of its Spring days topped AQI 100 versus 0.8% nationally (above average).
Within the season, March is the cleanest month (median AQI 67, 29.9% of days above 100) and April the worst (median 90, 38.1% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Scottsdale
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Scottsdale's AQI at 47 (O3). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Scottsdale air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.