Riverside Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Riverside's March air quality had a median AQI of 61 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA area. 5.9% of March days (13 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 42.9% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2020 (median AQI 54, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 64, 6 days above 100, peak AQI 174).
- Good: 18.9%
- Moderate: 75.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 4.1%
- Unhealthy or worse: 1.8%
Extra Protection for Riverside Homes
Air quality in Riverside is moderate (AQI 58), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH Mighty — True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft
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How is the air in Riverside in March?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 61 across 2019–2025, with 5.9% of March days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓18.9% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 75.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓13 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 196.
- ✓Best March: 2020; worst March: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Riverside in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Riverside in March was 61 (Moderate). 18.9% of days were Good, 75.1% Moderate, and 5.9% 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 Riverside?▾
A typical March day in Riverside 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 17 of March days (5.9%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Riverside's March air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 42.9% of March days in Riverside. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 196 (Unhealthy), in 2025.
Riverside March air quality, year by year
Riverside March air quality by year (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 69 | 2 | 150 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 54 | 0 | 86 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 65 | 3 | 196 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 62 | 2 | 186 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| 2025worst | 31 | 64 | 6 | 174 | O3 |
What March air means in Riverside
A typical March day in Riverside 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 17 of March days (5.9%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
March's median AQI of 61 is below Riverside's whole-year median of 89, 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 Riverside runs above the national March norm; 5.9% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (above average).
March is part of Riverside's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Riverside
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Riverside's AQI at 58 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Riverside air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, 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.