Austin Air Quality in Spring
Across 2019–2025, Austin's spring (March–May) air quality had a median AQI of 54 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Austin-Round Rock, TX area. 1.1% of spring days (7 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 63.8% of days. The cleanest spring on record here was 2021 (median AQI 50, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 61, 4 days above 100, peak AQI 141).
- Good: 37.3%
- Moderate: 61.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.1%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Austin
Today's main pollutant in Austin is ground-level ozone (AQI 33). 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 Austin in spring?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 54 across 2019–2025, with 1.1% of spring days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓37.3% of spring days were Good (AQI 0–50), 61.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓7 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the spring peak was 141.
- ✓Cleanest month: April; worst month: May.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Austin in spring?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Austin in spring was 54 (Moderate). 37.3% of days were Good, 61.6% Moderate, and 1.1% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is spring a good time for outdoor exercise in Austin?▾
A typical spring day in Austin is Moderate (median AQI 54): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 91 of spring days (1.1%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Austin's spring air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 63.8% of spring days in Austin. The highest spring AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 141 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2024.
Austin spring air quality, year by year
Austin spring air quality by year (Austin-Round Rock, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 92 | 53 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 92 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2021cleanest | 92 | 50 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 92 | 54 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 92 | 55 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| 2024worst | 92 | 61 | 4 | 141 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 92 | 59 | 2 | 126 | PM2.5 |
What spring air means in Austin
A typical spring day in Austin is Moderate (median AQI 54): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 91 of spring days (1.1%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Spring's median AQI of 54 is in line with Austin's whole-year median of 52, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median Spring AQI across every EPA metro area (307,196 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 43, so Austin runs above the national Spring norm; 1.1% of its Spring days topped AQI 100 versus 0.8% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, April is the cleanest month (median AQI 55, 0.5% of days above 100) and May the worst (median 56, 1.8% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Austin
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Austin's AQI at 33 (O3). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Austin air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Austin-Round Rock, TX), 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.