Tucson Air Quality in Summer
Across 2019–2025, Tucson's summer (June–August) air quality had a median AQI of 61 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Tucson, AZ area. 6.3% of summer days (41 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 72.0% of days. The cleanest summer on record here was 2019 (median AQI 55, 2 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 71, 9 days above 100, peak AQI 171).
- Good: 24.4%
- Moderate: 69.3%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 5.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.9%
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 summer?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 61 across 2019–2025, with 6.3% of summer days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓24.4% of summer days were Good (AQI 0–50), 69.3% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓41 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the summer peak was 357.
- ✓Cleanest month: June; worst month: July.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Tucson in summer?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Tucson in summer was 61 (Moderate). 24.4% of days were Good, 69.3% Moderate, and 6.3% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is summer a good time for outdoor exercise in Tucson?▾
A typical summer day in Tucson is Moderate (median AQI 61): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 16 of summer days (6.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Tucson's summer air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 72.0% of summer days in Tucson. The highest summer AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 357 (Hazardous), in 2024.
Tucson summer air quality, year by year
Tucson summer air quality by year (Tucson, AZ, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 92 | 55 | 2 | 103 | O3 |
| 2020 | 92 | 59 | 8 | 126 | O3 |
| 2021 | 92 | 64 | 5 | 313 | O3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 63 | 8 | 142 | O3 |
| 2023 | 92 | 64 | 5 | 122 | O3 |
| 2024worst | 92 | 71 | 9 | 171 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 58 | 4 | 357 | O3 |
What summer air means in Tucson
A typical summer day in Tucson is Moderate (median AQI 61): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 16 of summer days (6.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Summer's median AQI of 61 is above Tucson's whole-year median of 54, making it one of the area's dirtier periods. Nationally, the median Summer AQI across every EPA metro area (308,645 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 46, so Tucson runs above the national Summer norm; 6.3% of its Summer days topped AQI 100 versus 3.6% nationally (above average).
Within the season, June is the cleanest month (median AQI 61, 5.2% of days above 100) and July the worst (median 64, 7.9% above 100).
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 season 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.