Miami, FL Air Quality & Smog

Dominant pollutants, when smog is worst, notable historical episodes, and local agency resources for Miami, FL — plus how to check the current AQI. For real-time readings, the free Smog Report iOS app pulls live air quality from EPA AirNow.

Dominant pollutants

PM2.5 (Saharan dust June-August), ozone (mostly low), occasional red-tide aerosols.

Seasonal pattern: when smog is worst

Miami has some of the best routine air quality of any major US metro thanks to consistent ocean breezes. The major exception is Saharan dust intrusions — a multi-week elevation of PM2.5 in June and July as desert dust crosses the Atlantic. South Florida red-tide events (Karenia brevis) occasionally produce respiratory-irritating aerosols along the coast.

A recent or notable event

June 2020 — a particularly intense Saharan dust event (nicknamed the "Godzilla dust cloud") pushed Miami PM2.5 above 35 µg/m³ for several days, the highest in nearly two decades.

Local agencies and resources

Florida DEP runs the AirNow monitors. Miami-Dade DERM provides local interpretation during dust events.

• Florida DEP
• Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management

How to check air quality in Miami

The EPA's AirNow.gov publishes the canonical reading from the nearest regulatory monitor. For glanceable iPhone access — including widgets, Live Activities, Siri voice queries, and Apple Watch — install Smog Report. It's free, requires no account, and pulls from the same AirNow API.

For Miami-specific advisories and alerts that go beyond the federal AirNow feed, check the agency pages above directly.

Common questions about Miami air quality

Why does Miami have air-quality and smog problems?

Miami has some of the best routine air quality of any major US metro thanks to consistent ocean breezes. The major exception is Saharan dust intrusions — a multi-week elevation of PM2.5 in June and July as desert dust crosses the Atlantic. South Florida red-tide events (Karenia brevis) occasionally produce respiratory-irritating aerosols along the coast.

What are the main air pollutants in Miami?

Miami's dominant pollutants are PM2.5 (Saharan dust June-August), ozone (mostly low), occasional red-tide aerosols. The AQI on any given day is usually driven by whichever of these is highest.

Has Miami had a major air-quality or smog event?

June 2020 — a particularly intense Saharan dust event (nicknamed the "Godzilla dust cloud") pushed Miami PM2.5 above 35 µg/m³ for several days, the highest in nearly two decades.

How can I check Miami's air quality right now?

The EPA's AirNow.gov publishes the official reading from the nearest regulatory monitor. For live AQI on your iPhone — with home-screen widgets, Lock Screen Live Activities, Siri, and Apple Watch — the free Smog Report app pulls from the same AirNow feed. No account is required.

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