Norfolk, Virginia Air Quality
Norfolk air quality today — the AQI, the main pollutant, and whether it’s safe to exercise outside right now
Norfolk, VA · Air quality right now
The air quality index in Norfolk, VA is 50 (Good) right now — safe for outdoor activity.
Is it safe to be outside in Norfolk today?
AQI 50 Yes — air quality is Good
Air is clean — great for outdoor activity.Main pollutant: PM2.5Observed 12:00 AM EDT
Pollutants right now
- PM2.56.7 µg/m³Main pollutantfine particles — smoke, exhaust, soot
- PM108.3 µg/m³coarse particles — dust, pollen, ash
- Ozone62 µg/m³smog — builds on hot, sunny days
- NO₂5.3 µg/m³nitrogen dioxide — traffic, combustion
ExerciseOK to run — no air-quality limits on outdoor exercise.
How to read Norfolk’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 Norfolk
Across the EPA’s county records from 2020 to 2025, Norfolk’s cleanest year was 2020 (median AQI 18) and its most polluted was 2025 (median AQI 33); the typical (median) day has trended more polluted since 2020.
| Year | Median AQI | Unhealthy+ | Main pollutant | USG | Moderate | Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 18 | 0 | NO₂ | 0 | 16 | 349 |
| 2021 | 18 | 0 | NO₂ | 0 | 22 | 340 |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 | NO₂ | 0 | 13 | 348 |
| 2023 | 18 | 0 | NO₂ | 0 | 30 | 334 |
| 2024 | 32 | 0 | PM2.5 | 0 | 52 | 314 |
| 2025 | 33 | 0 | PM2.5 | 0 | 51 | 312 |
“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 Norfolk?
- No day in Norfolk's county topped AQI 100 in the EPA's 2020–2025 records. The highest median AQI came in 2025, at 33.
- How many unhealthy air days does Norfolk have?
- None: across 2020–2025, no day in Norfolk's county had an AQI above 100 in the EPA's records (2181 days reported).
- What's the main air pollutant in Norfolk?
- NO₂ drove Norfolk's county AQI on the most days in 4 of 6 years (2020–2025); PM2.5 in 2024, 2025.