Tampa Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Tampa's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 51 (Moderate) over 632 monitored days in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area. 0.3% of winter days (2 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.4% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2023 (median AQI 50, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2020 (median 53, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 108).
- Good: 46.4%
- Moderate: 53.3%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Tampa in winter?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 51 across 2019–2025, with 0.3% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓46.4% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 53.3% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓2 days of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 132.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst month: January.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Tampa in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Tampa in winter was 51 (Moderate). 46.4% of days were Good, 53.3% Moderate, and 0.3% 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 Tampa?▾
A typical winter day in Tampa is Moderate (median AQI 51): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of winter days 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 winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.4% of winter days in Tampa. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 132 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2020.
Tampa winter air quality, year by year
Tampa winter 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 | 90 | 51 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
| 2020worst | 91 | 53 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 90 | 53 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 51 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| 2023cleanest | 90 | 50 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 50 | 1 | 132 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 90 | 50 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Tampa
A typical winter day in Tampa is Moderate (median AQI 51): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of winter days 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 51 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 Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Tampa runs above the national Winter norm; 0.3% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, December is the cleanest month (median AQI 47, 0.0% of days above 100) and January the worst (median 52, 0.9% above 100).
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 season 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.