Pittsburgh Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Pittsburgh's March air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Pittsburgh, PA area. 2.3% of March days (5 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 68.2% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2024 (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 62, 2 days above 100, peak AQI 108).
- Good: 40.1%
- Moderate: 57.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Pittsburgh
Today's main pollutant in Pittsburgh is ground-level ozone (AQI 32). 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 is the air in Pittsburgh in March?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 2.3% of March days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓40.1% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 57.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓5 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 129.
- ✓Best March: 2024; worst March: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Pittsburgh in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Pittsburgh in March was 53 (Moderate). 40.1% of days were Good, 57.6% Moderate, and 2.3% 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 Pittsburgh?▾
A typical March day in Pittsburgh is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 43 of March days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Pittsburgh's March air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 68.2% of March days in Pittsburgh. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 129 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2019.
Pittsburgh March air quality, year by year
Pittsburgh March air quality by year (Pittsburgh, PA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 62 | 2 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 56 | 0 | 91 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 52 | 1 | 123 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 58 | 1 | 129 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 55 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 43 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 85 | O3 |
What March air means in Pittsburgh
A typical March day in Pittsburgh is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 43 of March days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
March's median AQI of 53 is below Pittsburgh's whole-year median of 58, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Pittsburgh runs above the national March norm; 2.3% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (above average).
March is part of Pittsburgh's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Pittsburgh
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Pittsburgh's AQI at 32 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Pittsburgh air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Pittsburgh, PA), 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.