Nashville Air Quality in August
Across 2019–2025, Nashville's August air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area. 3.2% of August days (7 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 59.0% of days. The cleanest August on record here was 2025 (median AQI 48, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 61, 5 days above 100, peak AQI 133).
- Good: 39.6%
- Moderate: 57.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 3.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Nashville
Today's main pollutant in Nashville is ground-level ozone (AQI 64). 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 Nashville in August?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 3.2% of August days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓39.6% of August days were Good (AQI 0–50), 57.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓7 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the August peak was 133.
- ✓Best August: 2025; worst August: 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Nashville in August?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Nashville in August was 53 (Moderate). 39.6% of days were Good, 57.1% Moderate, and 3.2% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is August a good time for outdoor exercise in Nashville?▾
A typical August day in Nashville is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 31 of August days (3.2%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Nashville's August air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 59.0% of August days in Nashville. The highest August AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 133 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2024.
Nashville August air quality, year by year
Nashville August air quality by year (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 58 | 1 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 100 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 53 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| 2024worst | 31 | 61 | 5 | 133 | O3 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 48 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
What August air means in Nashville
A typical August day in Nashville is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 31 of August days (3.2%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
August's median AQI of 53 is in line with Nashville's whole-year median of 52, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median August AQI across every EPA metro area (104,152 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 45, so Nashville runs above the national August norm; 3.2% of its August days topped AQI 100 versus 3.5% nationally (about the same).
August is part of Nashville's summer season (June, July, August); the summer page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Nashville
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Nashville's AQI at 64 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Nashville air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN), 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.