El Paso Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, El Paso's December air quality had a median AQI of 60 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the El Paso, TX area. 4.2% of December days (9 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 63.1% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2019 (median AQI 53, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 81, 3 days above 100, peak AQI 122).
- Good: 27.6%
- Moderate: 68.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 3.7%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.5%
Extra Protection for El Paso Homes
Air quality in El Paso is moderate (AQI 54), 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
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How is the air in El Paso in December?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 60 across 2019–2025, with 4.2% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓27.6% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 68.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓9 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 183.
- ✓Best December: 2019; worst December: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in El Paso in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in El Paso in December was 60 (Moderate). 27.6% of days were Good, 68.2% Moderate, and 4.2% 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 El Paso?▾
A typical December day in El Paso is Moderate (median AQI 60): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 24 of December days (4.2%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes El Paso's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 63.1% of December days in El Paso. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 183 (Unhealthy), in 2025.
El Paso December air quality, year by year
El Paso December air quality by year (El Paso, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 57 | 1 | 183 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 59 | 1 | 112 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 60 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 52 | 1 | 133 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 64 | 3 | 141 | PM10 |
| 2025worst | 31 | 81 | 3 | 122 | PM10 |
What December air means in El Paso
A typical December day in El Paso is Moderate (median AQI 60): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 24 of December days (4.2%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
December's median AQI of 60 is in line with El Paso's whole-year median of 59, 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 El Paso runs above the national December norm; 4.2% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (above average).
December is part of El Paso's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in El Paso
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts El Paso's AQI at 54 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current El Paso air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (El Paso, 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.