Rochester Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Rochester's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 46 (Good) over 632 monitored days in the Rochester, NY area. 0.0% of winter days (0 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 80.4% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2025 (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 51, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 80).
- Good: 59.5%
- Moderate: 40.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Rochester in winter?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 46 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓59.5% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 40.5% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 81.
- ✓Cleanest month: February; worst month: December.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Rochester in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Rochester in winter was 46 (Good). 59.5% of days were Good, 40.5% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 632 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is winter a good time for outdoor exercise in Rochester?▾
A typical winter day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of winter days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Rochester's winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 80.4% of winter days in Rochester. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 81 (Moderate), in 2021.
Rochester winter air quality, year by year
Rochester winter air quality by year (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 90 | 45 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 91 | 49 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 90 | 51 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 49 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 90 | 44 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 41 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 90 | 37 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Rochester
A typical winter day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of winter days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Winter's median AQI of 46 is above Rochester's whole-year median of 42, making it one of the area's dirtier periods. Nationally, the median Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Rochester runs above the national Winter norm; 0.0% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, February is the cleanest month (median AQI 43, 0.0% of days above 100) and December the worst (median 47, 0.0% above 100).
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.