Des Moines Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Des Moines's December air quality had a median AQI of 43 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area. 0.0% of December days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 95.4% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2024 (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2020 (median 52, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 76).
- Good: 61.8%
- Moderate: 38.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Des Moines in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 43 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓61.8% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 38.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 89.
- ✓Best December: 2024; worst December: 2020.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Des Moines in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Des Moines in December was 43 (Good). 61.8% of days were Good, 38.2% 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 Des Moines?▾
A typical December day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 43), 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 Des Moines's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 95.4% of December days in Des Moines. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 89 (Moderate), in 2020.
Des Moines December air quality, year by year
Des Moines December air quality by year (Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2020worst | 31 | 52 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 40 | 0 | 89 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 37 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 36 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in Des Moines
A typical December day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 43), 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 43 is in line with Des Moines's whole-year median of 44, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Des Moines runs above the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Des Moines's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Des Moines
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Des Moines's AQI at 32 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Des Moines air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA), 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.