Madison Air Quality in August
Across 2019–2025, Madison's August air quality had a median AQI of 44 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Madison, WI area. 1.4% of August days (3 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 57.6% of days. The cleanest August on record here was 2019 (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 39, 3 days above 100, peak AQI 112).
- Good: 62.7%
- Moderate: 35.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Madison in August?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44 across 2019–2025, with 1.4% of August days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓62.7% of August days were Good (AQI 0–50), 35.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓3 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the August peak was 112.
- ✓Best August: 2019; worst August: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Madison in August?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Madison in August was 44 (Good). 62.7% of days were Good, 35.9% Moderate, and 1.4% 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 Madison?▾
A typical August day in Madison sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; about 1 day in 71 of August days (1.4%) reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Madison's August air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 57.6% of August days in Madison. The highest August AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2025.
Madison August air quality, year by year
Madison August air quality by year (Madison, WI, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 37 | 0 | 77 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 98 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 58 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 67 | O3 |
| 2025worst | 31 | 39 | 3 | 112 | PM2.5 |
What August air means in Madison
A typical August day in Madison sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; about 1 day in 71 of August days (1.4%) reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
August's median AQI of 44 is in line with Madison's whole-year median of 45, 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 Madison runs in line with the national August norm; 1.4% of its August days topped AQI 100 versus 3.5% nationally (below average).
August is part of Madison's summer season (June, July, August); the summer page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Madison
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Madison's AQI at 49 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Madison air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Madison, WI), 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.