Processed on 2024-03-04 13:21:38 PST.


Disclaimer: Data presented here come from a variety of sources and do not represent official EPA measurements. Please visit AirNow for official measurements.


Cumulative exposure to smoke is an important public health metric. This report summarizes the cumulative number of days air quality monitors in Massachusetts spent in each AQI category during the the month of April.

The tables below include only permanent monitors measuring PM2.5 and show cumulative exposure under existing NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) and under the 2024 revised standards for PM2.5.

In the tables and plots below, ‘Old’ designates cumulative days calculated using the 2023 PM2.5 NAAQS while ‘New’ is calculated using the 2024 revised PM2.5 NAAQS. The impact of the NAAQS revision is quite clear.

April in Massachusetts

April 2014 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 256 11 0 0 0 0 12
New 206 61 0 0 0 0 12

April 2015 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 264 6 0 0 0 0 9
New 238 32 0 0 0 0 9

April 2016 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 237 3 0 0 0 0 39
New 227 13 0 0 0 0 39

April 2017 – 10 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 253 3 0 0 0 0 23
New 245 11 0 0 0 0 23

April 2018 – 24 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 240 24 0 0 0 0 46
New 218 46 0 0 0 0 46

April 2019 – 14 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 378 1 0 0 0 0 24
New 359 20 0 0 0 0 24

April 2020 – 28 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 368 4 0 0 0 0 62
New 326 46 0 0 0 0 62

April 2021 – 17 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 473 17 0 0 0 0 37
New 428 62 0 0 0 0 37

April 2022 – 17 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 502 0 0 0 0 0 25
New 489 13 0 0 0 0 25

April 2023 – 19 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 503 35 0 0 0 0 20
New 426 112 0 0 0 0 20