Lincoln Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Lincoln's May air quality had a median AQI of 40 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Lincoln, NE area. 0.0% of May days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 94.0% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2020 (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 51, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 93).
- Good: 84.3%
- Moderate: 15.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Improve Indoor Air Quality
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How is the air in Lincoln in May?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 40 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of May days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓84.3% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 15.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 93.
- ✓Best May: 2020; worst May: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Lincoln in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Lincoln in May was 40 (Good). 84.3% of days were Good, 15.7% Moderate, and 0.0% 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 Lincoln?▾
A typical May day in Lincoln sits in the Good range (median AQI 40), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Lincoln's May air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 94.0% of May days in Lincoln. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 93 (Moderate), in 2023.
Lincoln May air quality, year by year
Lincoln May air quality by year (Lincoln, NE, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 38 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 36 | 0 | 48 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 36 | 0 | 45 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 51 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 74 | O3 |
What May air means in Lincoln
A typical May day in Lincoln sits in the Good range (median AQI 40), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Nationally, the median May AQI across every EPA metro area (104,064 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 44, so Lincoln runs below the national May norm; 0.0% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (below average).
May is part of Lincoln's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Lincoln
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Lincoln's AQI at 34 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Lincoln air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Lincoln, NE), 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.