Rochester Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Rochester's March air quality had a median AQI of 41 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Rochester, NY area. 0.0% of March days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 61.8% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2020 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 64).
- Good: 76.0%
- Moderate: 24.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reducing Indoor Ozone
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, "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit also helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH (HEPA + Carbon) — True HEPA + activated carbon layer · rooms up to 361 sq ft
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How is the air in Rochester in March?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of March days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓76.0% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 24.0% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 81.
- ✓Best March: 2020; worst March: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Rochester in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Rochester in March was 41 (Good). 76.0% of days were Good, 24.0% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is March a good time for outdoor exercise in Rochester?▾
A typical March 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; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Rochester's March air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 61.8% of March days in Rochester. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 81 (Moderate), in 2019.
Rochester March air quality, year by year
Rochester March air quality by year (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 48 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 39 | 0 | 59 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 65 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 62 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 81 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 62 | O3 |
What March air means in Rochester
A typical March 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; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
March'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 March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Rochester runs in line with the national March norm; 0.0% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
March is part of Rochester's spring season (March, April, May); the spring 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.