Scranton Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Scranton's December air quality had a median AQI of 39 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA area. 0.0% of December days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 75.1% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2022 (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 46, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 69).
- Good: 65.0%
- Moderate: 35.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Scranton in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 39 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓65.0% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 35.0% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 87.
- ✓Best December: 2022; worst December: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Scranton in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Scranton in December was 39 (Good). 65.0% of days were Good, 35.0% Moderate, and 0.0% 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 Scranton?▾
A typical December day in Scranton sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Scranton's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 75.1% of December days in Scranton. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 87 (Moderate), in 2021.
Scranton December air quality, year by year
Scranton December air quality by year (Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 83 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 46 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2022cleanest | 31 | 36 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 37 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 37 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in Scranton
A typical December day in Scranton sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
December's median AQI of 39 is in line with Scranton's whole-year median of 41, 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 Scranton runs in line with the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Scranton's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Scranton
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Scranton's AQI at 42 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Scranton air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA), 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.