St. Louis Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, St. Louis's December air quality had a median AQI of 57 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the St. Louis, MO-IL area. 0.5% of December days (1 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 94.9% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2024 (median AQI 49, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 58, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 103).
- Good: 24.0%
- Moderate: 75.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for St. Louis Homes
Air quality in St. Louis is moderate (AQI 60), 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 St. Louis in December?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 57 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓24.0% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 75.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 103.
- ✓Best December: 2024; worst December: 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in St. Louis in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in St. Louis in December was 57 (Moderate). 24.0% of days were Good, 75.6% Moderate, and 0.5% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is December a good time for outdoor exercise in St. Louis?▾
A typical December day in St. Louis is Moderate (median AQI 57): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of December 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 St. Louis's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 94.9% of December days in St. Louis. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 103 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2022.
St. Louis December air quality, year by year
St. Louis December air quality by year (St. Louis, MO-IL, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 63 | 0 | 92 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 63 | 0 | 92 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 60 | 0 | 83 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 31 | 58 | 1 | 103 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 49 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 62 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in St. Louis
A typical December day in St. Louis is Moderate (median AQI 57): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
December's median AQI of 57 is in line with St. Louis's whole-year median of 58, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so St. Louis runs above the national December norm; 0.5% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of St. Louis's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in St. Louis
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts St. Louis's AQI at 60 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current St. Louis air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (St. Louis, MO-IL), 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.