Albuquerque Air Quality in January
Across 2019–2025, Albuquerque's January air quality had a median AQI of 58 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Albuquerque, NM area. 2.3% of January days (5 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 62.7% of days. The cleanest January on record here was 2024 (median AQI 51, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 65, 2 days above 100, peak AQI 328).
- Good: 24.0%
- Moderate: 73.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.8%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Albuquerque
Today's main pollutant in Albuquerque is ground-level ozone (AQI 39). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
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How is the air in Albuquerque in January?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 58 across 2019–2025, with 2.3% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓24.0% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 73.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓5 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 328.
- ✓Best January: 2024; worst January: 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Albuquerque in January?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Albuquerque in January was 58 (Moderate). 24.0% of days were Good, 73.7% Moderate, and 2.3% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is January a good time for outdoor exercise in Albuquerque?▾
A typical January day in Albuquerque is Moderate (median AQI 58): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 43 of January days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Albuquerque's January air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 62.7% of January days in Albuquerque. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 328 (Hazardous), in 2022.
Albuquerque January air quality, year by year
Albuquerque January air quality by year (Albuquerque, NM, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 62 | 0 | 92 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 31 | 65 | 2 | 328 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 68 | 1 | 102 | PM10 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 51 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 61 | 2 | 107 | PM2.5 |
What January air means in Albuquerque
A typical January day in Albuquerque is Moderate (median AQI 58): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 43 of January days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
January's median AQI of 58 is in line with Albuquerque's whole-year median of 61, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Albuquerque runs above the national January norm; 2.3% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (above average).
January is part of Albuquerque's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Albuquerque
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Albuquerque's AQI at 39 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Albuquerque air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Albuquerque, NM), 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.