Buffalo Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Buffalo's May air quality had a median AQI of 42 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY area. 0.9% of May days (2 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 71.9% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2020 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 43, 2 days above 100, peak AQI 108).
- Good: 74.2%
- Moderate: 24.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.9%
- 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 May?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 42 across 2019–2025, with 0.9% of May days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓74.2% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 24.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓2 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 108.
- ✓Best May: 2020; worst May: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Buffalo in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Buffalo in May was 42 (Good). 74.2% of days were Good, 24.9% Moderate, and 0.9% 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 Buffalo?▾
A typical May day in Buffalo sits in the Good range (median AQI 42), 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 Buffalo's May air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 71.9% of May days in Buffalo. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 108 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2021.
Buffalo May air quality, year by year
Buffalo May 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 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 39 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 43 | 2 | 108 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 74 | O3 |
What May air means in Buffalo
A typical May day in Buffalo sits in the Good range (median AQI 42), 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.
May's median AQI of 42 is in line with Buffalo's whole-year median of 44, 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 Buffalo runs in line with the national May norm; 0.9% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (about the same).
May is part of Buffalo's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
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 month 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.