Dallas Air Quality in Fall
Across 2019–2025, Dallas's fall (September–November) air quality had a median AQI of 56 (Moderate) over 637 monitored days in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX area. 14.3% of fall days (91 of 637) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 49.5% of days. The cleanest fall on record here was 2020 (median AQI 52, 3 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 58, 22 days above 100, peak AQI 179).
- Good: 32.8%
- Moderate: 52.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 13.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 1.1%
Extra Protection for Dallas Homes
Air quality in Dallas is moderate (AQI 55), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH Mighty — True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft
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How is the air in Dallas in fall?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 56 across 2019–2025, with 14.3% of fall days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓32.8% of fall days were Good (AQI 0–50), 52.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓91 days of 637 reached AQI 101+; the fall peak was 179.
- ✓Cleanest month: November; worst month: September.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Dallas in fall?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Dallas in fall was 56 (Moderate). 32.8% of days were Good, 52.9% Moderate, and 14.3% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 637 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is fall a good time for outdoor exercise in Dallas?▾
A typical fall day in Dallas is Moderate (median AQI 56): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 7 of fall days (14.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Dallas's fall air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 49.5% of fall days in Dallas. The highest fall AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 179 (Unhealthy), in 2025.
Dallas fall air quality, year by year
Dallas fall air quality by year (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 91 | 54 | 7 | 156 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 91 | 52 | 3 | 134 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 91 | 52 | 11 | 159 | O3 |
| 2022 | 91 | 62 | 18 | 133 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 91 | 59 | 15 | 151 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 59 | 15 | 156 | O3 |
| 2025worst | 91 | 58 | 22 | 179 | O3 |
What fall air means in Dallas
A typical fall day in Dallas is Moderate (median AQI 56): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 7 of fall days (14.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Fall's median AQI of 56 is in line with Dallas's whole-year median of 58, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median Fall AQI across every EPA metro area (296,275 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Dallas runs above the national Fall norm; 14.3% of its Fall days topped AQI 100 versus 1.5% nationally (above average).
Within the season, November is the cleanest month (median AQI 53, 0.0% of days above 100) and September the worst (median 68, 28.1% above 100).
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Dallas
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Dallas's AQI at 55 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year season statistics, not today's reading.
View current Dallas air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX), 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.