Bakersfield Air Quality in Summer
Across 2019–2025, Bakersfield's summer (June–August) air quality had a median AQI of 100 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Bakersfield, CA area. 48.6% of summer days (313 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 89.9% of days. The cleanest summer on record here was 2023 (median AQI 93, 37 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 105, 52 days above 100, peak AQI 182).
- Good: 4.7%
- Moderate: 46.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 41.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 6.7%
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 summer?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 100 across 2019–2025, with 48.6% of summer days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓4.7% of summer days were Good (AQI 0–50), 46.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓313 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the summer peak was 235.
- ✓Cleanest month: June; worst month: July.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Bakersfield in summer?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Bakersfield in summer was 100 (Moderate). 4.7% of days were Good, 46.7% Moderate, and 48.6% 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 Bakersfield?▾
A typical summer day in Bakersfield is Moderate (median AQI 100): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 2 of summer days (48.6%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Bakersfield's summer air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 89.9% of summer days in Bakersfield. The highest summer AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 235 (Very Unhealthy), in 2021.
Bakersfield summer air quality, year by year
Bakersfield summer air quality by year (Bakersfield, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 92 | 101 | 46 | 156 | O3 |
| 2020 | 92 | 101 | 48 | 235 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 92 | 105 | 52 | 182 | O3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 100 | 42 | 164 | O3 |
| 2023cleanest | 92 | 93 | 37 | 174 | O3 |
| 2024 | 92 | 101 | 51 | 174 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 93 | 37 | 166 | O3 |
What summer air means in Bakersfield
A typical summer day in Bakersfield is Moderate (median AQI 100): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 2 of summer days (48.6%) 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 100 is above Bakersfield's whole-year median of 72, 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 Bakersfield runs above the national Summer norm; 48.6% of its Summer days topped AQI 100 versus 3.6% nationally (above average).
Within the season, June is the cleanest month (median AQI 90, 32.4% of days above 100) and July the worst (median 105, 58.6% above 100).
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 season 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.