Des Moines Air Quality in October
Across 2019–2025, Des Moines's October air quality had a median AQI of 38 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area. 0.0% of October days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 64.5% of days. The cleanest October on record here was 2019 (median AQI 30, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 80).
- Good: 73.3%
- Moderate: 26.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Des Moines in October?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 38 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of October days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓73.3% of October days were Good (AQI 0–50), 26.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the October peak was 80.
- ✓Best October: 2019; worst October: 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Des Moines in October?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Des Moines in October was 38 (Good). 73.3% of days were Good, 26.7% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is October a good time for outdoor exercise in Des Moines?▾
A typical October day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 38), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of October days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Des Moines's October air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 64.5% of October days in Des Moines. The highest October AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 80 (Moderate), in 2024.
Des Moines October air quality, year by year
Des Moines October 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 30 | 0 | 52 | O3 |
| 2020 | 31 | 37 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 37 | 0 | 57 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 37 | 0 | 58 | PM2.5 |
| 2024worst | 31 | 50 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
What October air means in Des Moines
A typical October day in Des Moines sits in the Good range (median AQI 38), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of October days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
October's median AQI of 38 is below Des Moines's whole-year median of 44, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median October AQI across every EPA metro area (102,872 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 38, so Des Moines runs in line with the national October norm; 0.0% of its October days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (below average).
October is part of Des Moines's fall season (September, October, November); the fall 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.