Norfolk Air Quality in 2022

In 2022, Norfolk's air quality (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC area) had a median daily AQI of 42 (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 115 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 217 of those days. The cleanest month of 2022 was October (median AQI 35, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 48, 1 day above 100, peak 115).

42
Median AQI
Good
1
Days above AQI 100
0.3% of 365 days
55
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
115
Peak AQI
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
PM2.5
Main pollutant
217 of 365 days
277
Good days
75.9% of days
  • Good: 75.9%
  • Moderate: 23.8%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Norfolk's air quality in 2022?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 42, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2022: 115 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 217 days.
  • Cleanest month: October; worst: June.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Norfolk in 2022?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Norfolk's (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC) median daily AQI for 2022 at 42, which is Good. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 115.

Which month had the worst air quality in Norfolk in 2022?

The cleanest month of 2022 was October (median AQI 35, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 48, 1 day above 100, peak 115).

Was 2022 a good or bad year for Norfolk's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2022's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 42.

Norfolk month by month in 2022

Norfolk air quality month by month, 2022 (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3138059PM2.5
February2837067PM2.5
March3142055O3
April3044064O3
May3145069O3
Juneworst30481115O3
July3146064PM2.5
August3141064O3
September3041067O3
Octobercleanest3135056PM2.5
November3040058PM2.5
December3143067PM2.5

How 2022 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2022 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2022's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 42.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Right now in Norfolk

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Norfolk's AQI at 44 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Norfolk air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC), 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.