Scottsdale, Arizona Air Quality
Scottsdale air quality today — the AQI, the main pollutant, and whether it’s safe to exercise outside right now
Scottsdale, AZ · Air quality right now
The air quality index in Scottsdale, AZ is 52 (Moderate) right now — acceptable for most people.
Is it safe to be outside in Scottsdale today?
AQI 52 Yes — air quality is Moderate
Fine for most; unusually sensitive people can take it easy.Main pollutant: PM2.5Observed 6:00 AM MST
Pollutants right now
- PM2.513 µg/m³Main pollutantfine particles — smoke, exhaust, soot
- PM1028 µg/m³coarse particles — dust, pollen, ash
- Ozone18 µg/m³smog — builds on hot, sunny days
- NO₂22 µg/m³nitrogen dioxide — traffic, combustion
ExerciseOK to run for most; sensitive athletes can ease the intensity.
How to read Scottsdale’s air quality
Guides: The AQI Scale, Explained · Air Quality Alerts, Decoded · How to Read a Wildfire Smoke Map · Why Wildfire Smoke Travels 1,000 Miles.
Air quality over time in Scottsdale
Across the EPA’s county records from 2020 to 2025, Scottsdale’s cleanest year was 2023 (median AQI 72) and its most polluted was 2021 (median AQI 122); the typical (median) day has trended cleaner since 2020.
| Year | Median AQI | Unhealthy+ | Main pollutant | USG | Moderate | Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 112 | 141 | Ozone | 60 | 154 | 11 |
| 2021 | 122 | 134 | Ozone | 91 | 128 | 12 |
| 2022 | 75 | 23 | Ozone | 73 | 242 | 27 |
| 2023 | 72 | 7 | Ozone | 61 | 256 | 41 |
| 2024 | 77 | 8 | Ozone | 65 | 260 | 33 |
| 2025 | 73 | 6 | Ozone | 32 | 295 | 32 |
“USG” is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (AQI 101–150); “Unhealthy+” combines the Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and Hazardous days. In 2024 the EPA tightened the annual fine-particle (PM2.5) standard to 9 µg/m³ from the previous 12 µg/m³, so counties near the old limit read worse against the new one. Source: EPA AQS annual summaries, 2020–2025.
Frequently asked
- What was the worst year for air quality in Scottsdale?
- In the EPA's 2020–2025 county records, 2021 had the most days above AQI 100: 225 days (91 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, 134 Unhealthy or worse). It also had the highest median AQI, 122.
- How many unhealthy air days does Scottsdale have?
- Across 2020–2025, 32% of the days reported for Scottsdale's county had an AQI above 100 (701 of 2192), about 117 days a year. 2025 had 38 days.
- What's the main air pollutant in Scottsdale?
- Ozone: it drove Scottsdale's county AQI on the most days in every year of the EPA's 2020–2025 records.