Sioux Falls Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Sioux Falls's December air quality had a median AQI of 30 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Sioux Falls, SD 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 49.8% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2023 (median AQI 22, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 34, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 68).
- Good: 87.6%
- Moderate: 12.4%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Sioux Falls
Today's main pollutant in Sioux Falls is ground-level ozone (AQI 24). 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 Sioux Falls in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 30 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓87.6% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 12.4% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 86.
- ✓Best December: 2023; worst December: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Sioux Falls in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Sioux Falls in December was 30 (Good). 87.6% of days were Good, 12.4% 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 Sioux Falls?▾
A typical December day in Sioux Falls sits in the Good range (median AQI 30), 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 Sioux Falls's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 49.8% of December days in Sioux Falls. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 86 (Moderate), in 2019.
Sioux Falls December air quality, year by year
Sioux Falls December air quality by year (Sioux Falls, SD, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 34 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 33 | 0 | 86 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 28 | 0 | 52 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 32 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2023cleanest | 31 | 22 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 26 | 0 | 55 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 29 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
What December air means in Sioux Falls
A typical December day in Sioux Falls sits in the Good range (median AQI 30), 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 30 is below Sioux Falls's whole-year median of 38, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Sioux Falls runs below the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Sioux Falls's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Sioux Falls
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Sioux Falls's AQI at 24 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Sioux Falls air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Sioux Falls, SD), 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.