Spokane Air Quality in 2021

In 2021, Spokane's air quality (Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA area) had a median daily AQI of 51 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 18 days (4.9%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 178 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 223 (Very Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 247 of those days. The cleanest month of 2021 was October (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 74, 8 days above 100, peak 181).

51
Median AQI
Moderate
18
Days above AQI 100
4.9% of 365 days
79
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
223
Peak AQI
Very Unhealthy
PM2.5
Main pollutant
247 of 365 days
178
Good days
48.8% of days
  • Good: 48.8%
  • Moderate: 46.3%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.2%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 2.7%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Spokane's air quality in 2021?

Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 51, with 18 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2021: 223 (Very Unhealthy).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 247 days.
  • Cleanest month: October; worst: July.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Spokane in 2021?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Spokane's (Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA) median daily AQI for 2021 at 51, which is Moderate. 18 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 223.

Which month had the worst air quality in Spokane in 2021?

The cleanest month of 2021 was October (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 74, 8 days above 100, peak 181).

Was 2021 a good or bad year for Spokane's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here. 2021's median of 51 is above the area's typical annual median of 47.

Spokane month by month in 2021

Spokane air quality month by month, 2021 (Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3162081PM2.5
February2852058PM2.5
March3152070PM2.5
April3043054O3
May3143053O3
June3042074O3
Julyworst31748181PM2.5
August31708223PM2.5
September30422117O3
Octobercleanest3141061PM2.5
November3056086PM2.5
December3153077PM2.5

How 2021 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2021 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here.

2021's median of 51 is above the area's typical annual median of 47.

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

Right now in Spokane

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Spokane's AQI at 38 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Spokane air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA), 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.