Tuscaloosa, Alabama Air Quality
Tuscaloosa air quality today — the AQI, the main pollutant, and whether it’s safe to exercise outside right now
Tuscaloosa, AL · Air quality right now
The air quality index in Tuscaloosa, AL is 56 (Moderate) right now — acceptable for most people.
Is it safe to be outside in Tuscaloosa today?
AQI 56 Yes — air quality is Moderate
Fine for most; unusually sensitive people can take it easy.Main pollutant: PM2.5Observed 10:00 AM CDT
Pollutants right now
- PM2.59.2 µg/m³Main pollutantfine particles — smoke, exhaust, soot
- PM109.5 µg/m³coarse particles — dust, pollen, ash
- Ozone122 µg/m³smog — builds on hot, sunny days
- NO₂1.9 µg/m³nitrogen dioxide — traffic, combustion
ExerciseOK to run for most; sensitive athletes can ease the intensity.
How to read Tuscaloosa’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 Tuscaloosa
Across the EPA’s county records from 2020 to 2025, Tuscaloosa’s cleanest year was 2020 (median AQI 34) and its most polluted was 2023 (median AQI 42); the typical (median) day has trended more polluted since 2020.
| Year | Median AQI | Unhealthy+ | Main pollutant | USG | Moderate | Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 34 | 0 | Ozone | 0 | 31 | 247 |
| 2021 | 34 | 0 | Ozone | 0 | 34 | 246 |
| 2022 | 37 | 0 | Ozone | 0 | 40 | 240 |
| 2023 | 42 | 0 | PM2.5 | 0 | 110 | 255 |
| 2024 | 37 | 0 | PM2.5 | 2 | 39 | 318 |
| 2025 | 41 | 0 | PM2.5 | 0 | 95 | 265 |
“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 Tuscaloosa?
- In the EPA's 2020–2025 county records, 2024 had the most days above AQI 100: 2 days (2 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, 0 Unhealthy or worse). The highest median AQI came in 2023 (42; 2024's was 37).
- How many unhealthy air days does Tuscaloosa have?
- Across 2020–2025, under 1% of the days reported for Tuscaloosa's county had an AQI above 100 (2 of 1922), fewer than one a year on average. 2025 had 0 days.
- What's the main air pollutant in Tuscaloosa?
- Ozone drove Tuscaloosa's county AQI on the most days in 3 of 6 years (2020–2025); PM2.5 in 2023, 2024, 2025.