Lexington Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Lexington's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 41 (Good) over 631 monitored days in the Lexington-Fayette, KY area. 0.0% of winter days (0 of 631) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 94.5% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2024 (median AQI 34, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2020 (median 46, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 69).
- Good: 66.2%
- Moderate: 33.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for Lexington Homes
Air quality in Lexington is moderate (AQI 53), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH Mighty — True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft
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How is the air in Lexington in winter?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 41 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓66.2% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 33.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 631 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 77.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst month: February.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Lexington in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Lexington in winter was 41 (Good). 66.2% of days were Good, 33.8% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 631 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is winter a good time for outdoor exercise in Lexington?▾
A typical winter day in Lexington 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 winter days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Lexington's winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 94.5% of winter days in Lexington. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 77 (Moderate), in 2020.
Lexington winter air quality, year by year
Lexington winter air quality by year (Lexington-Fayette, KY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 90 | 45 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2020worst | 91 | 46 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 89 | 43 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 42 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 90 | 38 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 91 | 34 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 90 | 37 | 0 | 76 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Lexington
A typical winter day in Lexington 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 winter days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Winter's median AQI of 41 is in line with Lexington's whole-year median of 44, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Lexington runs in line with the national Winter norm; 0.0% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, December is the cleanest month (median AQI 38, 0.0% of days above 100) and February the worst (median 42, 0.0% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Lexington
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Lexington's AQI at 53 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Lexington air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Lexington-Fayette, KY), 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.