Colorado Springs Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Colorado Springs's December air quality had a median AQI of 41 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Colorado Springs, CO area. 0.0% of December days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 90.8% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2020 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 42, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 52).
- Good: 96.3%
- Moderate: 3.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Colorado Springs
Today's main pollutant in Colorado Springs is ground-level ozone (AQI 41). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
Recommended: Levoit Core 300 — True HEPA + activated carbon · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
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How is the air in Colorado Springs in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓96.3% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 3.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 62.
- ✓Best December: 2020; worst December: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Colorado Springs in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Colorado Springs in December was 41 (Good). 96.3% of days were Good, 3.7% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is December a good time for outdoor exercise in Colorado Springs?▾
A typical December day in Colorado Springs sits in the Good range (median AQI 41), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Colorado Springs's December air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 90.8% of December days in Colorado Springs. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 62 (Moderate), in 2023.
Colorado Springs December air quality, year by year
Colorado Springs December air quality by year (Colorado Springs, CO, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 62 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 39 | 0 | 56 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| 2022 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 55 | O3 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 42 | 0 | 52 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 49 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 40 | 0 | 44 | O3 |
What December air means in Colorado Springs
A typical December day in Colorado Springs sits in the Good range (median AQI 41), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
December's median AQI of 41 is below Colorado Springs's whole-year median of 46, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Colorado Springs runs in line with the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Colorado Springs's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Colorado Springs
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Colorado Springs's AQI at 41 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Colorado Springs air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Colorado Springs, CO), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.