Des Moines Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Des Moines's March air quality had a median AQI of 42 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area. 0.0% of March days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 53.0% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2020 (median AQI 37, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 74).
- Good: 68.2%
- Moderate: 31.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Des Moines in March?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 42 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of March days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓68.2% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 31.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 84.
- ✓Best March: 2020; worst March: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Des Moines in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Des Moines in March was 42 (Good). 68.2% of days were Good, 31.8% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is March a good time for outdoor exercise in Des Moines?▾
A typical March day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 42), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Des Moines's March air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 53.0% of March days in Des Moines. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 84 (Moderate), in 2021.
Des Moines March air quality, year by year
Des Moines March 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 | 44 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 37 | 0 | 66 | O3 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 48 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 68 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 46 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
What March air means in Des Moines
A typical March day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 42), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
March's median AQI of 42 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 March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Des Moines runs in line with the national March norm; 0.0% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
March is part of Des Moines's spring season (March, April, May); the spring 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.