Providence Air Quality in Summer
Across 2019–2025, Providence's summer (June–August) air quality had a median AQI of 51 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA area. 4.4% of summer days (28 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 52.5% of days. The cleanest summer on record here was 2024 (median AQI 48, 2 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 52, 6 days above 100, peak AQI 140).
- Good: 46.7%
- Moderate: 48.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 3.9%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
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How is the air in Providence in summer?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 51 across 2019–2025, with 4.4% of summer days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓46.7% of summer days were Good (AQI 0–50), 48.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓28 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the summer peak was 196.
- ✓Cleanest month: August; worst month: July.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Providence in summer?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Providence in summer was 51 (Moderate). 46.7% of days were Good, 48.9% Moderate, and 4.4% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is summer a good time for outdoor exercise in Providence?▾
A typical summer day in Providence is Moderate (median AQI 51): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 23 of summer days (4.4%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Providence's summer air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 52.5% of summer days in Providence. The highest summer AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 196 (Unhealthy), in 2023.
Providence summer air quality, year by year
Providence summer air quality by year (Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 92 | 52 | 2 | 126 | O3 |
| 2020 | 92 | 53 | 4 | 154 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 92 | 54 | 4 | 147 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 92 | 48 | 5 | 164 | O3 |
| 2023worst | 92 | 52 | 6 | 140 | O3 |
| 2024cleanest | 92 | 48 | 2 | 147 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 51 | 5 | 196 | O3 |
What summer air means in Providence
A typical summer day in Providence is Moderate (median AQI 51): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 23 of summer days (4.4%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Summer's median AQI of 51 is above Providence's whole-year median of 47, making it one of the area's dirtier periods. Nationally, the median Summer AQI across every EPA metro area (308,645 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 46, so Providence runs above the national Summer norm; 4.4% of its Summer days topped AQI 100 versus 3.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, August is the cleanest month (median AQI 51, 2.3% of days above 100) and July the worst (median 54, 5.5% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Providence
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Providence's AQI at 43 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Providence air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Providence-Warwick, RI-MA), 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.