Harrisburg Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Harrisburg's May air quality had a median AQI of 44 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 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 53.5% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2025 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 52, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 75).
- Good: 63.6%
- Moderate: 36.4%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Harrisburg
Today's main pollutant in Harrisburg is ground-level ozone (AQI 48). 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 Harrisburg in May?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of May days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓63.6% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 36.4% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 100.
- ✓Best May: 2025; worst May: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Harrisburg in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Harrisburg in May was 44 (Good). 63.6% of days were Good, 36.4% 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 Harrisburg?▾
A typical May day in Harrisburg sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), 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 Harrisburg's May air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 53.5% of May days in Harrisburg. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 100 (Moderate), in 2019.
Harrisburg May air quality, year by year
Harrisburg May air quality by year (Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 52 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 59 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 77 | O3 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 39 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
What May air means in Harrisburg
A typical May day in Harrisburg sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), 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 44 is below Harrisburg's whole-year median of 50, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median May AQI across every EPA metro area (104,064 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 44, so Harrisburg runs in line with the national May norm; 0.0% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (below average).
May is part of Harrisburg's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Harrisburg
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Harrisburg's AQI at 48 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Harrisburg air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA), 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.