Minneapolis Air Quality in Winter
Across 2019–2025, Minneapolis's winter (December–February) air quality had a median AQI of 53 (Moderate) over 632 monitored days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area. 0.9% of winter days (6 of 632) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.8% of days. The cleanest winter on record here was 2025 (median AQI 43, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 55, 4 days above 100, peak AQI 157).
- Good: 39.7%
- Moderate: 59.3%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.6%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.3%
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How is the air in Minneapolis in winter?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53 across 2019–2025, with 0.9% of winter days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓39.7% of winter days were Good (AQI 0–50), 59.3% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓6 days of 632 reached AQI 101+; the winter peak was 166.
- ✓Cleanest month: December; worst month: January.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Minneapolis in winter?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Minneapolis in winter was 53 (Moderate). 39.7% of days were Good, 59.3% Moderate, and 0.9% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 632 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is winter a good time for outdoor exercise in Minneapolis?▾
A typical winter 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 winter 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 winter air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.8% of winter days in Minneapolis. The highest winter AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 166 (Unhealthy), in 2023.
Minneapolis winter air quality, year by year
Minneapolis winter 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 | 90 | 57 | 0 | 99 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 91 | 55 | 0 | 88 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 90 | 55 | 0 | 96 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 90 | 53 | 0 | 96 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 90 | 55 | 4 | 157 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 52 | 2 | 166 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 90 | 43 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
What winter air means in Minneapolis
A typical winter 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 winter days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Winter'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 Winter AQI across every EPA metro area (278,620 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so Minneapolis runs above the national Winter norm; 0.9% of its Winter days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, December is the cleanest month (median AQI 53, 0.0% of days above 100) and January the worst (median 52, 2.3% above 100).
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 season 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.