Richmond Air Quality in March

Across 2019–2025, Richmond's March air quality had a median AQI of 44 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Richmond, VA area. 0.0% of March days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 51.2% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2020 (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 51, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 65).

44
Median AQI
Good
0.0%
Days above AQI 100
0 of 217 days
57
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
77
Peak AQI
Moderate
O3
Main pollutant
51.2% of days
68.7%
Good days
149 of 217
  • Good: 68.7%
  • Moderate: 31.3%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How is the air in Richmond in March?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 44 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of March days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.

  • 68.7% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 31.3% Moderate (51–100).
  • 0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 77.
  • Best March: 2020; worst March: 2022.

Frequently asked questions

What is the air quality like in Richmond in March?

Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Richmond in March was 44 (Good). 68.7% of days were Good, 31.3% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.

Is March a good time for outdoor exercise in Richmond?

A typical March day in Richmond sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.

Which pollutant causes Richmond's March air quality problems?

Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 51.2% of March days in Richmond. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 77 (Moderate), in 2022.

Richmond March air quality, year by year

Richmond March air quality by year (Richmond, VA, EPA AQS daily AQI)

YearDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
20193149074O3
2020cleanest3141057PM2.5
20213144071PM2.5
2022worst3151065PM2.5
20233147065PM2.5
20243142077O3
20253144064O3

What March air means in Richmond

A typical March day in Richmond sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.

March's median AQI of 44 is in line with Richmond's whole-year median of 47, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Richmond runs in line with the national March norm; 0.0% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).

March is part of Richmond's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Right now in Richmond

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Richmond's AQI at 37 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.

View current Richmond air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Richmond, VA), 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.