Tucson Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Tucson's March air quality had a median AQI of 48 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Tucson, AZ area. 2.8% of March days (6 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 70.0% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2020 (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 52, 3 days above 100, peak AQI 112).
- Good: 57.1%
- Moderate: 40.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Tucson
Today's main pollutant in Tucson is ground-level ozone (AQI 35). 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 Tucson in March?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48 across 2019–2025, with 2.8% of March days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓57.1% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 40.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓6 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 174.
- ✓Best March: 2020; worst March: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Tucson in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Tucson in March was 48 (Good). 57.1% of days were Good, 40.1% Moderate, and 2.8% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is March a good time for outdoor exercise in Tucson?▾
A typical March day in Tucson sits in the Good range (median AQI 48), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; about 1 day in 36 of March days (2.8%) reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Tucson's March air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 70.0% of March days in Tucson. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 174 (Unhealthy), in 2021.
Tucson March air quality, year by year
Tucson March air quality by year (Tucson, AZ, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 43 | 0 | 81 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 52 | 3 | 112 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 48 | 1 | 106 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 51 | 1 | 147 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 65 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 56 | 1 | 174 | O3 |
What March air means in Tucson
A typical March day in Tucson sits in the Good range (median AQI 48), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; about 1 day in 36 of March days (2.8%) reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
March's median AQI of 48 is below Tucson's whole-year median of 54, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Tucson runs above the national March norm; 2.8% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (above average).
March is part of Tucson's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Tucson
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Tucson's AQI at 35 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Tucson air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Tucson, 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.