Minneapolis Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Minneapolis's December air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 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 85.3% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2022 (median AQI 48, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 59, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 99).
- Good: 42.4%
- Moderate: 57.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Minneapolis in December?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓42.4% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 57.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 99.
- ✓Best December: 2022; worst December: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Minneapolis in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Minneapolis in December was 53 (Moderate). 42.4% of days were Good, 57.6% 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 Minneapolis?▾
A typical December day in Minneapolis 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 December 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 Minneapolis's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.3% of December days in Minneapolis. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 99 (Moderate), in 2019.
Minneapolis December air quality, year by year
Minneapolis December air quality by year (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 59 | 0 | 99 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| 2022cleanest | 31 | 48 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 54 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 50 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in Minneapolis
A typical December day in Minneapolis 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 December days 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 53 is in line with Minneapolis'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 Minneapolis runs above the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Minneapolis's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Minneapolis
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Minneapolis's AQI at 15 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Minneapolis air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI), 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.