Norfolk Air Quality in October
Across 2019–2025, Norfolk's October air quality had a median AQI of 34 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC area. 0.0% of October days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 59.0% of days. The cleanest October on record here was 2019 (median AQI 34, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 39, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 71).
- Good: 87.1%
- Moderate: 12.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Norfolk
Today's main pollutant in Norfolk is ground-level ozone (AQI 31). 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
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How is the air in Norfolk in October?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 34 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of October days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓87.1% of October days were Good (AQI 0–50), 12.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the October peak was 71.
- ✓Best October: 2019; worst October: 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Norfolk in October?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Norfolk in October was 34 (Good). 87.1% of days were Good, 12.9% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is October a good time for outdoor exercise in Norfolk?▾
A typical October day in Norfolk sits in the Good range (median AQI 34), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of October days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Norfolk's October air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 59.0% of October days in Norfolk. The highest October AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 71 (Moderate), in 2024.
Norfolk October air quality, year by year
Norfolk October air quality by year (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 34 | 0 | 69 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 34 | 0 | 53 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 38 | 0 | 55 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 35 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 34 | 0 | 70 | O3 |
| 2024worst | 31 | 39 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 34 | 0 | 45 | O3 |
What October air means in Norfolk
A typical October day in Norfolk sits in the Good range (median AQI 34), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of October days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
October's median AQI of 34 is below Norfolk's whole-year median of 42, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median October AQI across every EPA metro area (102,872 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 38, so Norfolk runs below the national October norm; 0.0% of its October days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (below average).
October is part of Norfolk's fall season (September, October, November); the fall page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Norfolk
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Norfolk's AQI at 31 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Norfolk air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC), 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.