Virginia Beach Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Virginia Beach's December air quality had a median AQI of 39 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC area. 0.0% of December days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 91.2% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2019 (median AQI 33, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 46, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 62).
- Good: 71.4%
- Moderate: 28.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Virginia Beach
Today's main pollutant in Virginia Beach 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.
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How is the air in Virginia Beach in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 39 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓71.4% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 28.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 76.
- ✓Best December: 2019; worst December: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Virginia Beach in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Virginia Beach in December was 39 (Good). 71.4% of days were Good, 28.6% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is December a good time for outdoor exercise in Virginia Beach?▾
A typical December day in Virginia Beach sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Virginia Beach's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 91.2% of December days in Virginia Beach. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 76 (Moderate), in 2021.
Virginia Beach December air quality, year by year
Virginia Beach December 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 | 33 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 35 | 0 | 59 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 46 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 36 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 34 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in Virginia Beach
A typical December day in Virginia Beach sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
December's median AQI of 39 is in line with Virginia Beach's whole-year median of 42, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Virginia Beach runs in line with the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Virginia Beach's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Virginia Beach
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Virginia Beach's AQI at 31 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Virginia Beach 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.