Des Moines Air Quality in January
Across 2019–2025, Des Moines's January air quality had a median AQI of 41 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area. 0.0% of January days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 94.0% of days. The cleanest January on record here was 2025 (median AQI 28, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 53, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 91).
- Good: 65.4%
- Moderate: 34.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Des Moines in January?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓65.4% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 34.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 91.
- ✓Best January: 2025; worst January: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Des Moines in January?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Des Moines in January was 41 (Good). 65.4% of days were Good, 34.6% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is January a good time for outdoor exercise in Des Moines?▾
A typical January day in Des Moines 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 January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Des Moines's January air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 94.0% of January days in Des Moines. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 91 (Moderate), in 2023.
Des Moines January air quality, year by year
Des Moines January 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 | 39 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 53 | 0 | 91 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 28 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
What January air means in Des Moines
A typical January day in Des Moines 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 January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
January's median AQI of 41 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 January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Des Moines runs in line with the national January norm; 0.0% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
January 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.