Bakersfield Air Quality in August
Across 2019–2025, Bakersfield's August air quality had a median AQI of 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) over 217 monitored days in the Bakersfield, CA area. 54.3% of August days (118 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 88.0% of days. The cleanest August on record here was 2025 (median AQI 93, 11 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 129, 23 days above 100, peak AQI 177).
- Good: 2.8%
- Moderate: 42.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 44.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 10.1%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Bakersfield
Today's main pollutant in Bakersfield is ground-level ozone (AQI 74). 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 Bakersfield in August?
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups on a typical day: median AQI 105 across 2019–2025, with 54.3% of August days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓2.8% of August days were Good (AQI 0–50), 42.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓118 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the August peak was 235.
- ✓Best August: 2025; worst August: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Bakersfield in August?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Bakersfield in August was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). 2.8% of days were Good, 42.9% Moderate, and 54.3% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is August a good time for outdoor exercise in Bakersfield?▾
A typical August day in Bakersfield is already Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (median AQI 105): people with asthma or heart disease, children and older adults should reduce prolonged outdoor exertion on most days, and about 54% of August days (54.3%) were at that level or worse.
Which pollutant causes Bakersfield's August air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 88.0% of August days in Bakersfield. The highest August AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 235 (Very Unhealthy), in 2021.
Bakersfield August air quality, year by year
Bakersfield August air quality by year (Bakersfield, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 108 | 20 | 151 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 115 | 20 | 235 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 129 | 23 | 177 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 100 | 15 | 164 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 100 | 14 | 174 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 100 | 15 | 156 | O3 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 93 | 11 | 166 | O3 |
What August air means in Bakersfield
A typical August day in Bakersfield is already Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (median AQI 105): people with asthma or heart disease, children and older adults should reduce prolonged outdoor exertion on most days, and about 54% of August days (54.3%) were at that level or worse.
August's median AQI of 105 is above Bakersfield's whole-year median of 72, making it one of the area's dirtier periods. Nationally, the median August AQI across every EPA metro area (104,152 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 45, so Bakersfield runs above the national August norm; 54.3% of its August days topped AQI 100 versus 3.5% nationally (above average).
August is part of Bakersfield's summer season (June, July, August); the summer page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Bakersfield
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Bakersfield's AQI at 74 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Bakersfield air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Bakersfield, CA), 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.