Dallas Air Quality in January

Across 2019–2025, Dallas's January air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX area. 0.0% of January days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 88.0% of days. The cleanest January on record here was 2022 (median AQI 51, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 57, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 81).

53
Median AQI
Moderate
0.0%
Days above AQI 100
0 of 217 days
64
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
81
Peak AQI
Moderate
PM2.5
Main pollutant
88.0% of days
38.2%
Good days
83 of 217
  • Good: 38.2%
  • Moderate: 61.8%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How is the air in Dallas in January?

Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.

  • 38.2% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 61.8% Moderate (51–100).
  • 0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 81.
  • Best January: 2022; worst January: 2025.

Frequently asked questions

What is the air quality like in Dallas in January?

Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Dallas in January was 53 (Moderate). 38.2% of days were Good, 61.8% Moderate, and 0.0% 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 Dallas?

A typical January day in Dallas is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of January days 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 January air quality problems?

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 88.0% of January days in Dallas. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 81 (Moderate), in 2025.

Dallas January air quality, year by year

Dallas January air quality by year (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)

YearDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
20193153068PM2.5
20203154065PM2.5
20213152068PM2.5
2022cleanest3151079PM2.5
20233154074PM2.5
20243155078PM2.5
2025worst3157081PM2.5

What January air means in Dallas

A typical January day in Dallas is Moderate (median AQI 53): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of January days 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 53 is below Dallas's whole-year median of 58, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Dallas runs above the national January norm; 0.0% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).

January is part of Dallas's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.

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 month 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.