San Diego vs Irvine Air Quality Comparison
Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI
As of November 8, 2026, San Diego, CA and Irvine, CA have effectively the same air quality — both at AQI 34 (Good) in the latest EPA AirNow observations. San Diego's reading is driven by O3 and Irvine's by O3.
San Diego, CA
Good
Irvine, CA
Good
Summary
Both cities have similar air quality
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Irvine
Today's main pollutant in Irvine is ground-level ozone (AQI 34). 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.
Compare activated-carbon purifiers (for gases & ozone):
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5-Day Forecast Comparison
| Day | San Diego | Irvine | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | AQI 54 | AQI 53 | Irvine |