Philadelphia Air Quality in February
Across 2019–2025, Philadelphia's February air quality had a median AQI of 57 (Moderate) over 198 monitored days in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area. 1.0% of February days (2 of 198) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 91.9% of days. The cleanest February on record here was 2024 (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 56, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 168).
- Good: 19.2%
- Moderate: 79.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Philadelphia
Today's main pollutant in Philadelphia 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.
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How is the air in Philadelphia in February?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 57 across 2019–2025, with 1.0% of February days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓19.2% of February days were Good (AQI 0–50), 79.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓2 days of 198 reached AQI 101+; the February peak was 168.
- ✓Best February: 2024; worst February: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Philadelphia in February?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Philadelphia in February was 57 (Moderate). 19.2% of days were Good, 79.8% Moderate, and 1.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 198 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is February a good time for outdoor exercise in Philadelphia?▾
A typical February day in Philadelphia is Moderate (median AQI 57): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 100 of February days (1.0%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Philadelphia's February air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 91.9% of February days in Philadelphia. The highest February AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 168 (Unhealthy), in 2025.
Philadelphia February air quality, year by year
Philadelphia February air quality by year (Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 28 | 55 | 1 | 102 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 29 | 58 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 28 | 56 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 28 | 58 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 28 | 59 | 0 | 79 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 29 | 55 | 0 | 100 | PM2.5 |
| 2025worst | 28 | 56 | 1 | 168 | PM2.5 |
What February air means in Philadelphia
A typical February day in Philadelphia is Moderate (median AQI 57): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 100 of February days (1.0%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
February's median AQI of 57 is in line with Philadelphia's whole-year median of 56, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median February AQI across every EPA metro area (87,428 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 41, so Philadelphia runs above the national February norm; 1.0% of its February days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
February is part of Philadelphia's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Philadelphia
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Philadelphia's AQI at 44 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Philadelphia air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD), 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.