Tampa Air Quality in 2023
In 2023, Tampa's air quality (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area) had a median daily AQI of 52 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 5 days (1.4%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 144 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 114 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 261 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was December (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was May (median 59, 2 days above 100, peak 112).
- Good: 39.5%
- Moderate: 59.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Tampa
Today's main pollutant in Tampa is ground-level ozone (AQI 16). 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
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How was Tampa's air quality in 2023?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52, with 5 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2023: 114 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 261 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst: May.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Tampa in 2023?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Tampa's (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL) median daily AQI for 2023 at 52, which is Moderate. 5 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 114.
Which month had the worst air quality in Tampa in 2023?▾
The cleanest month of 2023 was December (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was May (median 59, 2 days above 100, peak 112).
Was 2023 a good or bad year for Tampa's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here. 2023's median of 52 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 51.
Tampa month by month in 2023
Tampa air quality month by month, 2023 (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 54 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 51 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 55 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 53 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| Mayworst | 31 | 59 | 2 | 112 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 53 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 59 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 51 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 50 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 51 | 1 | 114 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 48 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| Decembercleanest | 31 | 43 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
How 2023 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here.
2023's median of 52 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 51.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Tampa
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Tampa's AQI at 16 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Tampa air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL), 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.