Rochester Air Quality in February
Across 2019–2025, Rochester's February air quality had a median AQI of 43 (Good) over 198 monitored days in the Rochester, NY area. 0.0% of February days (0 of 198) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 69.7% of days. The cleanest February on record here was 2024 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 52, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 60).
- Good: 64.1%
- Moderate: 35.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Rochester in February?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 43 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of February days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓64.1% of February days were Good (AQI 0–50), 35.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 198 reached AQI 101+; the February peak was 70.
- ✓Best February: 2024; worst February: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Rochester in February?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Rochester in February was 43 (Good). 64.1% of days were Good, 35.9% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 198 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is February a good time for outdoor exercise in Rochester?▾
A typical February day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 43), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of February days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Rochester's February air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 69.7% of February days in Rochester. The highest February AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 70 (Moderate), in 2021.
Rochester February air quality, year by year
Rochester February air quality by year (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 28 | 42 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 29 | 49 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 28 | 52 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 28 | 44 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 28 | 45 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 29 | 39 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 28 | 41 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
What February air means in Rochester
A typical February day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 43), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of February days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
February's median AQI of 43 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 February AQI across every EPA metro area (87,428 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 41, so Rochester runs in line with the national February norm; 0.0% of its February days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
February is part of Rochester's winter season (December, January, February); the winter 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.