Syracuse Air Quality in 2021
In 2021, Syracuse's air quality (Syracuse, NY area) had a median daily AQI of 41 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 277 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 113 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 196 of those days. The cleanest month of 2021 was September (median AQI 31, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 46, 1 day above 100, peak 113).
- Good: 75.9%
- Moderate: 23.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Syracuse
Today's main pollutant in Syracuse is ground-level ozone (AQI 31). 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 Syracuse's air quality in 2021?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 5th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2021: 113 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 196 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: September; worst: July.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in Syracuse in 2021?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts Syracuse's (Syracuse, NY) median daily AQI for 2021 at 41, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 113.
Which month had the worst air quality in Syracuse in 2021?▾
The cleanest month of 2021 was September (median AQI 31, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 46, 1 day above 100, peak 113).
Was 2021 a good or bad year for Syracuse's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2021's median of 41 is above the area's typical annual median of 38.
Syracuse month by month in 2021
Syracuse air quality month by month, 2021 (Syracuse, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 37 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 44 | 0 | 57 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 41 | 0 | 62 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 43 | 0 | 74 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 39 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| June | 30 | 44 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| Julyworst | 31 | 46 | 1 | 113 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 47 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| Septembercleanest | 30 | 31 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 32 | 0 | 51 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 35 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| December | 31 | 36 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
How 2021 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 5th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2021's median of 41 is above the area's typical annual median of 38.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Syracuse
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Syracuse's AQI at 31 (O3). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current Syracuse air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Syracuse, 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.