McAllen Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, McAllen's December air quality had a median AQI of 47 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX area. 0.5% of December days (1 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 86.6% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2022 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 55, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 108).
- Good: 54.4%
- Moderate: 45.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in McAllen in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 47 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓54.4% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 45.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 108.
- ✓Best December: 2022; worst December: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in McAllen in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in McAllen in December was 47 (Good). 54.4% of days were Good, 45.2% Moderate, and 0.5% 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 McAllen?▾
A typical December day in McAllen sits in the Good range (median AQI 47), 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 McAllen's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 86.6% of December days in McAllen. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 108 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2021.
McAllen December air quality, year by year
McAllen December air quality by year (McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 44 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 55 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| 2022cleanest | 31 | 39 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in McAllen
A typical December day in McAllen sits in the Good range (median AQI 47), 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 47 is in line with McAllen's whole-year median of 50, 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 McAllen runs above the national December norm; 0.5% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of McAllen's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in McAllen
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts McAllen's AQI at 47 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current McAllen air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, 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.