Kansas City Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Kansas City's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 632 monitored days in the Kansas City, MO-KS area. 0.8% of winter days (5 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 79.7% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2025 (median AQI 49, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 55, 3 days above 100, peak AQI 110).
- Good: 38.4%
- Moderate: 60.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.8%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for Kansas City Homes
Air quality in Kansas City is moderate (AQI 64), 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 Kansas City in winter?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 0.8% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓38.4% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 60.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓5 days of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 137.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst month: February.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Kansas City in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Kansas City in winter was 53 (Moderate). 38.4% of days were Good, 60.8% Moderate, and 0.8% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 632 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is winter a good time for outdoor exercise in Kansas City?▾
A typical winter day in Kansas City is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of winter days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Kansas City's winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 79.7% of winter days in Kansas City. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 137 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2024.
Kansas City winter air quality, year by year
Kansas City winter air quality by year (Kansas City, MO-KS, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 90 | 54 | 1 | 137 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 91 | 57 | 0 | 91 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 90 | 56 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 52 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 90 | 51 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| 2024worst | 91 | 55 | 3 | 110 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 90 | 49 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Kansas City
A typical winter day in Kansas City is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of winter days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Winter's median AQI of 53 is in line with Kansas City's whole-year median of 54, 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 Kansas City runs above the national Winter norm; 0.8% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, January is the cleanest month (median AQI 53, 0.5% of days above 100) and February the worst (median 53, 1.5% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Kansas City
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Kansas City's AQI at 64 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Kansas City air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Kansas City, MO-KS), 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.