Minneapolis Air Quality in January
Across 2019–2025, Minneapolis's January air quality had a median AQI of 52 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area. 2.3% of January days (5 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 January on record here was 2025 (median AQI 35, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 55, 4 days above 100, peak AQI 157).
- Good: 39.6%
- Moderate: 58.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.9%
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How is the air in Minneapolis in January?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52 across 2019–2025, with 2.3% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓39.6% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 58.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓5 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 166.
- ✓Best January: 2025; worst January: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Minneapolis in January?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Minneapolis in January was 52 (Moderate). 39.6% of days were Good, 58.1% Moderate, and 2.3% 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 Minneapolis?▾
A typical January day in Minneapolis is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 43 of January days (2.3%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Minneapolis's January air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 86.6% of January days in Minneapolis. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 166 (Unhealthy), in 2023.
Minneapolis January air quality, year by year
Minneapolis January 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 54 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 56 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 58 | 0 | 91 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 56 | 0 | 96 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 55 | 4 | 157 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 52 | 1 | 166 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 35 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
What January air means in Minneapolis
A typical January day in Minneapolis is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 43 of January days (2.3%) 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 52 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 January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Minneapolis runs above the national January norm; 2.3% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (above average).
January 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.