Tampa Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Tampa's May air quality had a median AQI of 54 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area. 2.8% of May days (6 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 49.8% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2025 (median AQI 49, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 59, 2 days above 100, peak AQI 112).
- Good: 30.4%
- Moderate: 66.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.8%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Tampa in May?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 54 across 2019–2025, with 2.8% of May days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓30.4% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 66.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓6 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 143.
- ✓Best May: 2025; worst May: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Tampa in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Tampa in May was 54 (Moderate). 30.4% of days were Good, 66.8% Moderate, and 2.8% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is May a good time for outdoor exercise in Tampa?▾
A typical May day in Tampa is Moderate (median AQI 54): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 36 of May days (2.8%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Tampa's May air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 49.8% of May days in Tampa. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 143 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2023.
Tampa May air quality, year by year
Tampa May air quality by year (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 54 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 51 | 1 | 112 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 56 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 59 | 2 | 112 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 55 | 2 | 143 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 49 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
What May air means in Tampa
A typical May day in Tampa is Moderate (median AQI 54): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 36 of May days (2.8%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
May's median AQI of 54 is in line with Tampa's whole-year median of 51, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median May AQI across every EPA metro area (104,064 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 44, so Tampa runs above the national May norm; 2.8% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (above average).
May is part of Tampa's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Tampa
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Tampa's AQI at 45 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Tampa air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL), 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.