Albuquerque Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Albuquerque's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 59 (Moderate) over 632 monitored days in the Albuquerque, NM area. 2.7% of winter days (17 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 56.6% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2019 (median AQI 53, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 63, 9 days above 100, peak AQI 114).
- Good: 24.5%
- Moderate: 72.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 2.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.2%
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 winter?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 59 across 2019–2025, with 2.7% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓24.5% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 72.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓17 days of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 328.
- ✓Cleanest month: February; worst month: December.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Albuquerque in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Albuquerque in winter was 59 (Moderate). 24.5% of days were Good, 72.8% Moderate, and 2.7% 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 Albuquerque?▾
A typical winter day in Albuquerque is Moderate (median AQI 59): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 37 of winter days (2.7%) 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 winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 56.6% of winter days in Albuquerque. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 328 (Hazardous), in 2025.
Albuquerque winter air quality, year by year
Albuquerque winter air quality by year (Albuquerque, NM, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 90 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 91 | 55 | 0 | 91 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 90 | 63 | 0 | 95 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 64 | 4 | 328 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 90 | 67 | 2 | 114 | PM10 |
| 2024 | 91 | 54 | 2 | 130 | PM2.5 |
| 2025worst | 90 | 63 | 9 | 114 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Albuquerque
A typical winter day in Albuquerque is Moderate (median AQI 59): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 37 of winter days (2.7%) 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 59 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 Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Albuquerque runs above the national Winter norm; 2.7% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (above average).
Within the season, February is the cleanest month (median AQI 55, 1.5% of days above 100) and December the worst (median 66, 4.1% above 100).
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 season 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.