Scottsdale Air Quality in 2020
In 2020, Scottsdale's air quality (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ area) had a median daily AQI of 120 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) across 366 monitored days. 231 days (63.1%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 7 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 1194 (Hazardous). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 222 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 75, 8 days above 100) and the worst was April (median 210, 30 days above 100, peak 240).
- Good: 1.9%
- Moderate: 35.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 23.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 39.9%
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How was Scottsdale's air quality in 2020?
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups on a typical day: median AQI 120, with 231 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2020: 1194 (Hazardous).
- ✓Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 222 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: April.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Scottsdale in 2020?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Scottsdale's (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ) median daily AQI for 2020 at 120, which is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. 231 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 1194.
Which month had the worst air quality in Scottsdale in 2020?▾
The cleanest month of 2020 was January (median AQI 75, 8 days above 100) and the worst was April (median 210, 30 days above 100, peak 240).
Was 2020 a good or bad year for Scottsdale's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2020's median of 120 is above the area's typical annual median of 79.
Scottsdale month by month in 2020
Scottsdale air quality month by month, 2020 (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 75 | 8 | 224 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 150 | 27 | 214 | O3 |
| March | 31 | 172 | 29 | 274 | O3 |
| Aprilworst | 30 | 210 | 30 | 240 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 90 | 10 | 147 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 84 | 9 | 130 | O3 |
| July | 31 | 143 | 21 | 237 | O3 |
| August | 31 | 213 | 30 | 1194 | O3 |
| September | 30 | 97 | 14 | 164 | PM10 |
| October | 31 | 192 | 31 | 223 | O3 |
| November | 30 | 95 | 13 | 522 | PM10 |
| December | 31 | 82 | 9 | 161 | PM2.5 |
How 2020 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2020's median of 120 is above the area's typical annual median of 79.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Scottsdale
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Scottsdale's AQI at 75 (PM10). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Scottsdale air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ), 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.