Rochester Air Quality in August
Across 2019–2025, Rochester's August air quality had a median AQI of 41 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Rochester, NY area. 2.3% of August days (5 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 58.1% of days. The cleanest August on record here was 2020 (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 46, 5 days above 100, peak AQI 133).
- Good: 68.2%
- Moderate: 29.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Rochester in August?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41 across 2019–2025, with 2.3% of August days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓68.2% of August days were Good (AQI 0–50), 29.5% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓5 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the August peak was 133.
- ✓Best August: 2020; worst August: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Rochester in August?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Rochester in August was 41 (Good). 68.2% of days were Good, 29.5% Moderate, and 2.3% 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 Rochester?▾
A typical August day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 41), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; about 1 day in 43 of August days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Rochester's August air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 58.1% of August days in Rochester. The highest August AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 133 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2025.
Rochester August air quality, year by year
Rochester August air quality by year (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 37 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 38 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| 2025worst | 31 | 46 | 5 | 133 | PM2.5 |
What August air means in Rochester
A typical August day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 41), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; about 1 day in 43 of August days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
August's median AQI of 41 is in line with Rochester's whole-year median of 42, 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 Rochester runs below the national August norm; 2.3% of its August days topped AQI 100 versus 3.5% nationally (below average).
August is part of Rochester's summer season (June, July, August); the summer page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Rochester, NY), 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.