Buffalo Air Quality in Fall
Across 2019–2025, Buffalo's fall (September–November) air quality had a median AQI of 38 (Good) over 637 monitored days in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY area. 0.0% of fall days (0 of 637) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 67.3% of days. The cleanest fall on record here was 2025 (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 43, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 65).
- Good: 77.1%
- Moderate: 22.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for Buffalo Homes
Air quality in Buffalo is moderate (AQI 54), 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 Buffalo in fall?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 38 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of fall days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓77.1% of fall days were Good (AQI 0–50), 22.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 637 reached AQI 101+; the fall peak was 84.
- ✓Cleanest month: October; worst month: September.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Buffalo in fall?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Buffalo in fall was 38 (Good). 77.1% of days were Good, 22.9% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 637 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is fall a good time for outdoor exercise in Buffalo?▾
A typical fall day in Buffalo sits in the Good range (median AQI 38), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of fall days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Buffalo's fall air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 67.3% of fall days in Buffalo. The highest fall AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 84 (Moderate), in 2023.
Buffalo fall air quality, year by year
Buffalo fall air quality by year (Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 91 | 37 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 91 | 38 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 91 | 39 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 91 | 38 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 91 | 43 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 38 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 91 | 36 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
What fall air means in Buffalo
A typical fall day in Buffalo sits in the Good range (median AQI 38), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of fall days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Fall's median AQI of 38 is below Buffalo's whole-year median of 44, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median Fall AQI across every EPA metro area (296,275 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Buffalo runs in line with the national Fall norm; 0.0% of its Fall days topped AQI 100 versus 1.5% nationally (below average).
Within the season, October is the cleanest month (median AQI 37, 0.0% of days above 100) and September the worst (median 41, 0.0% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Buffalo
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Buffalo's AQI at 54 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Buffalo air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY), 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.