Bakersfield Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Bakersfield's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 66 (Moderate) over 632 monitored days in the Bakersfield, CA area. 17.7% of winter days (112 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 87.8% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2025 (median AQI 67, 8 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 83, 29 days above 100, peak AQI 153).
- Good: 18.8%
- Moderate: 63.4%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 14.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 3.3%
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 winter?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 66 across 2019–2025, with 17.7% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓18.8% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 63.4% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓112 days of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 171.
- ✓Cleanest month: February; worst month: December.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Bakersfield in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Bakersfield in winter was 66 (Moderate). 18.8% of days were Good, 63.4% Moderate, and 17.7% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 632 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is winter a good time for outdoor exercise in Bakersfield?▾
A typical winter day in Bakersfield is Moderate (median AQI 66): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 6 of winter days (17.7%) 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 winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 87.8% of winter days in Bakersfield. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 171 (Unhealthy), in 2022.
Bakersfield winter air quality, year by year
Bakersfield winter air quality by year (Bakersfield, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 90 | 54 | 10 | 171 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 91 | 73 | 14 | 133 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 90 | 72 | 25 | 156 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 90 | 83 | 29 | 153 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 90 | 63 | 12 | 157 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 61 | 14 | 162 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 90 | 67 | 8 | 161 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Bakersfield
A typical winter day in Bakersfield is Moderate (median AQI 66): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 6 of winter days (17.7%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Winter's median AQI of 66 is below Bakersfield's whole-year median of 72, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Bakersfield runs above the national Winter norm; 17.7% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (above average).
Within the season, February is the cleanest month (median AQI 57, 4.5% of days above 100) and December the worst (median 77, 30.0% 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.