Processed on 2024-03-04 13:22:49 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 November.

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.

November in Massachusetts

November 2014 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 201 61 0 0 0 0 17
New 141 121 0 0 0 0 17

November 2015 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 215 20 0 0 0 0 13
New 186 49 0 0 0 0 13

November 2016 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 248 10 0 0 0 0 21
New 221 37 0 0 0 0 21

November 2017 – 10 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 269 19 0 0 0 0 22
New 223 65 0 0 0 0 22

November 2018 – 24 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 340 19 0 0 0 0 44
New 295 64 0 0 0 0 44

November 2019 – 14 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 352 50 0 0 0 0 32
New 276 126 0 0 0 0 32

November 2020 – 28 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 365 65 0 0 0 0 35
New 306 124 0 0 0 0 35

November 2021 – 17 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 435 65 0 0 0 0 27
New 376 124 0 0 0 0 27

November 2022 – 17 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 448 28 0 0 0 0 51
New 379 97 0 0 0 0 51

November 2023 – 19 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 489 19 0 0 0 0 50
New 420 88 0 0 0 0 50