Arizona Air Quality Information

Published on: 12/26/2019 at 11:39 AM by M. Pace

Christmas 2019: Best Air Quality in Phoenix


If you stepped outside Christmas Day, you likely noticed a few things, and one of them may have been the air quality.

Typically, with a large amount of fireplace activity in Phoenix on Christmas Day, PM2.5 (smoke) increases across the valley to unhealthy levels; however this year, with the rain and breezy conditions, smoke levels in Phoenix set a record low (2010-present).

This year the PM2.5 twenty-four-hour average on Christmas Day came in at 59 AQI, which is in the low Moderate AQI category. This year's value was well below the ten year average for the day of 137 AQI. Note that the ten year average is above the federal health standard and approaching the Unhealthy AQI category.

The highest value we have measured on Christmas Day is 167 AQI, in 2017. And, over the past ten years, Phoenix has exceeded PM2.5 six of those years (60% of the time).

Another storm system is moving into the region today, so forecasting air quality to remain in the Good to Moderate AQI category through the weekend.

[View the hourly air quality forecast for Phoenix]

Even though air quality improved this year due to the weather, please remember that you can still do your part to help everyone breathe a little easier, by giving the gift of clean air [DETAILS].