McAllen Air Quality in Summer
Across 2019–2025, McAllen's summer (June–August) air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 636 monitored days in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX area. 1.3% of summer days (8 of 636) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 93.2% of days. The cleanest summer on record here was 2021 (median AQI 52, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 55, 4 days above 100, peak AQI 157).
- Good: 42.8%
- Moderate: 56.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.8%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
Improve Indoor Air Quality
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How is the air in McAllen in summer?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 1.3% of summer days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓42.8% of summer days were Good (AQI 0–50), 56.0% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓8 days of 636 reached AQI 101+; the summer peak was 157.
- ✓Cleanest month: August; worst month: June.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in McAllen in summer?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in McAllen in summer was 53 (Moderate). 42.8% of days were Good, 56.0% Moderate, and 1.3% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 636 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is summer a good time for outdoor exercise in McAllen?▾
A typical summer day in McAllen 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 77 of summer days (1.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes McAllen's summer air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 93.2% of summer days in McAllen. The highest summer AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 157 (Unhealthy), in 2024.
McAllen summer air quality, year by year
McAllen summer air quality by year (McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 92 | 58 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 92 | 46 | 2 | 157 | PM2.5 |
| 2021cleanest | 92 | 52 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 92 | 51 | 2 | 114 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 84 | 53 | 0 | 85 | PM2.5 |
| 2024worst | 92 | 55 | 4 | 157 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
What summer air means in McAllen
A typical summer day in McAllen 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 77 of summer days (1.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Summer's median AQI of 53 is in line with McAllen's whole-year median of 50, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median Summer AQI across every EPA metro area (308,645 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 46, so McAllen runs above the national Summer norm; 1.3% of its Summer days topped AQI 100 versus 3.6% nationally (below average).
Within the season, August is the cleanest month (median AQI 51, 0.0% of days above 100) and June the worst (median 53, 3.5% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in McAllen
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts McAllen's AQI at 43 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current McAllen air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX), 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.