Syracuse Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Syracuse's May air quality had a median AQI of 39 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Syracuse, NY area. 0.5% of May days (1 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 86.2% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2025 (median AQI 35, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 43, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 105).
- Good: 89.4%
- Moderate: 10.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for Syracuse Homes
Air quality in Syracuse is moderate (AQI 56), 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 Syracuse in May?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 39 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of May days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓89.4% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 10.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 105.
- ✓Best May: 2025; worst May: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Syracuse in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Syracuse in May was 39 (Good). 89.4% of days were Good, 10.1% Moderate, and 0.5% 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 Syracuse?▾
A typical May day in Syracuse sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), 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 Syracuse's May air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 86.2% of May days in Syracuse. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2023.
Syracuse May air quality, year by year
Syracuse May air quality by year (Syracuse, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 38 | 0 | 56 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 38 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 40 | 0 | 52 | O3 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 43 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 35 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
What May air means in Syracuse
A typical May day in Syracuse sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), 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 39 is in line with Syracuse's whole-year median of 38, 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 Syracuse runs below the national May norm; 0.5% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (about the same).
May is part of Syracuse's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Syracuse
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Syracuse's AQI at 56 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Syracuse air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Syracuse, 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.