Cleveland Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Cleveland's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 56 (Moderate) over 632 monitored days in the Cleveland-Elyria, OH area. 0.2% of winter days (1 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 91.5% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2025 (median AQI 54, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2020 (median 55, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 105).
- Good: 28.6%
- Moderate: 71.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Cleveland
Today's main pollutant in Cleveland is ground-level ozone (AQI 44). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Levoit Core 300 — True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
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How is the air in Cleveland in winter?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 56 across 2019–2025, with 0.2% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓28.6% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 71.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 105.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst month: December.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Cleveland in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Cleveland in winter was 56 (Moderate). 28.6% of days were Good, 71.2% Moderate, and 0.2% 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 Cleveland?▾
A typical winter day in Cleveland is Moderate (median AQI 56): 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 Cleveland's winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 91.5% of winter days in Cleveland. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2020.
Cleveland winter air quality, year by year
Cleveland winter air quality by year (Cleveland-Elyria, OH, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 90 | 59 | 0 | 98 | PM2.5 |
| 2020worst | 91 | 55 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 90 | 60 | 0 | 98 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 56 | 0 | 95 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 90 | 56 | 0 | 94 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 55 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 90 | 54 | 0 | 83 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Cleveland
A typical winter day in Cleveland is Moderate (median AQI 56): 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 56 is in line with Cleveland's whole-year median of 55, 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 Cleveland runs above the national Winter norm; 0.2% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, January is the cleanest month (median AQI 56, 0.0% of days above 100) and December the worst (median 56, 0.5% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Cleveland
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Cleveland's AQI at 44 (O3). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Cleveland air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Cleveland-Elyria, OH), 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.