Rochester Air Quality in January
Across 2019–2025, Rochester's January air quality had a median AQI of 46 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Rochester, NY area. 0.0% of January days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.7% of days. The cleanest January on record here was 2025 (median AQI 39, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 52, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 78).
- Good: 59.0%
- Moderate: 41.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Rochester in January?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 46 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓59.0% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 41.0% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 80.
- ✓Best January: 2025; worst January: 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Rochester in January?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Rochester in January was 46 (Good). 59.0% of days were Good, 41.0% Moderate, and 0.0% 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 Rochester?▾
A typical January day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Rochester's January air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.7% of January days in Rochester. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 80 (Moderate), in 2022.
Rochester January air quality, year by year
Rochester January air quality by year (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 46 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 31 | 52 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 46 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 39 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
What January air means in Rochester
A typical January day in Rochester sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
January's median AQI of 46 is above Rochester's whole-year median of 42, making it one of the area's dirtier periods. Nationally, the median January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Rochester runs above the national January norm; 0.0% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
January is part of Rochester's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Rochester, NY), 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.