Lincoln Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Lincoln's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 33 (Good) over 194 monitored days in the Lincoln, NE area. 0.0% of winter days (0 of 194) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 100.0% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2022 (median AQI 25, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 46, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 70).
- Good: 75.3%
- Moderate: 24.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Lincoln in winter?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 33 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓75.3% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 24.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 194 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 89.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst month: December.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Lincoln in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Lincoln in winter was 33 (Good). 75.3% of days were Good, 24.7% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 194 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is winter a good time for outdoor exercise in Lincoln?▾
A typical winter day in Lincoln sits in the Good range (median AQI 33), 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 Lincoln's winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 100.0% of winter days in Lincoln. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 89 (Moderate), in 2019.
Lincoln winter air quality, year by year
Lincoln winter air quality by year (Lincoln, NE, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 28 | 46 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 29 | 32 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 28 | 37 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| 2022cleanest | 22 | 25 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 28 | 40 | 0 | 89 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 30 | 36 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 29 | 32 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Lincoln
A typical winter day in Lincoln sits in the Good range (median AQI 33), 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.
Nationally, the median Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Lincoln runs below the national Winter norm; 0.0% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, January is the cleanest month (median AQI 32, 0.0% of days above 100) and December the worst (median 38, 0.0% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Lincoln
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Lincoln's AQI at 34 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Lincoln air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Lincoln, NE), 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.