Check a local allergy forecast for pollen levels. Air quality and pollen measure different things.
Galveston air quality in 2024
Days with good air
68%
245 of 362 days
Median AQI
44
Good
Unhealthy-for-sensitive days or worse
8
Main pollutant
Ozone
224 days
Worst reading
AQI 159
Unhealthy
Good: 245 days
Moderate: 109 days
Unhealthy for sensitive groups: 6 days
Unhealthy: 2 days
Air quality by month
Average daily AQI for each month, 2022–2024. November is usually the cleanest month and May the worst.
43Jan74% good
44Feb78% good
50Mar54% good
52Apr47% good
63May29% good
53Jun47% good
49Jul52% good
50Aug55% good
57Sep60% good
50Oct65% good
39Nov86% good
41Dec81% good
Ten-year trend
201518 daysmedian 44
20166 daysmedian 44
20176 daysmedian 41
201810 daysmedian 34
20198 daysmedian 43
20203 daysmedian 44
20213 daysmedian 43
20227 daysmedian 46
202321 daysmedian 51
20248 daysmedian 44
Bars show days each year at “unhealthy for sensitive groups” (AQI above 100) or worse.
Worst air days, 2022–2024
159July 19, 2024 · Unhealthy · ozone (smog)
159August 28, 2023 · Unhealthy · ozone (smog)
159May 25, 2022 · Unhealthy · ozone (smog)
156September 28, 2024 · Unhealthy · ozone (smog)
151September 26, 2023 · Unhealthy · ozone (smog)
Reading the AQI
Ozone forms on hot, sunny afternoons, so it peaks in summer; plan runs and outdoor play for the morning on high-ozone days. Fine particles (PM2.5) come from wildfire smoke, traffic and wood burning and can spike in any season. Above 100, people with asthma, heart or lung conditions, older adults and children should limit long or heavy exertion outdoors.
In 2024, 68% of days had good air (AQI 50 or below) at Galveston County monitors, 30% were moderate and 8 days reached unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. The median AQI was 44.
When is air quality worst in Galveston?
From 2022 to 2024, May had the highest average AQI (63) and November the lowest (39).
What is the main air pollutant in Galveston?
ozone (smog) was the main pollutant on 224 of 362 days in 2024.
Is Galveston’s air getting better or worse?
The median AQI was 44 in 2015 and 44 in 2024; days at unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse went from 18 to 8.