Colorado Springs Air Quality in Summer
Across 2019–2025, Colorado Springs's summer (June–August) air quality had a median AQI of 58 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Colorado Springs, CO area. 6.9% of summer days (44 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 95.2% of days. The cleanest summer on record here was 2025 (median AQI 52, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 77, 24 days above 100, peak AQI 140).
- Good: 32.5%
- Moderate: 60.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 6.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Colorado Springs
Today's main pollutant in Colorado Springs is ground-level ozone (AQI 41). 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 Colorado Springs in summer?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 58 across 2019–2025, with 6.9% of summer days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓32.5% of summer days were Good (AQI 0–50), 60.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓44 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the summer peak was 166.
- ✓Cleanest month: June; worst month: July.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Colorado Springs in summer?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Colorado Springs in summer was 58 (Moderate). 32.5% of days were Good, 60.7% Moderate, and 6.9% 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 Colorado Springs?▾
A typical summer day in Colorado Springs is Moderate (median AQI 58): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 14 of summer days (6.9%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Colorado Springs's summer air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 95.2% of summer days in Colorado Springs. The highest summer AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 166 (Unhealthy), in 2021.
Colorado Springs summer air quality, year by year
Colorado Springs summer air quality by year (Colorado Springs, CO, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 92 | 54 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| 2020 | 92 | 53 | 7 | 151 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 92 | 77 | 24 | 140 | O3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 61 | 1 | 108 | O3 |
| 2023 | 92 | 58 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| 2024 | 92 | 64 | 12 | 166 | O3 |
| 2025cleanest | 92 | 52 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
What summer air means in Colorado Springs
A typical summer day in Colorado Springs is Moderate (median AQI 58): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 14 of summer days (6.9%) 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 58 is above Colorado Springs's whole-year median of 46, 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 Colorado Springs runs above the national Summer norm; 6.9% of its Summer days topped AQI 100 versus 3.6% nationally (above average).
Within the season, June is the cleanest month (median AQI 51, 1.0% of days above 100) and July the worst (median 61, 10.1% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Colorado Springs
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Colorado Springs's AQI at 41 (O3). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Colorado Springs air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Colorado Springs, CO), 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.