Processed on 2024-03-04 13:26:16 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 Minnesota spent in each AQI category during the the month of August.

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.

August in Minnesota

August 2014 – 17 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 367 76 0 0 0 0 37
New 314 129 0 0 0 0 37

August 2015 – 18 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 523 14 0 0 0 0 39
New 484 53 0 0 0 0 39

August 2016 – 37 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 548 0 0 0 0 0 28
New 540 8 0 0 0 0 28

August 2017 – 19 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 512 37 0 0 0 0 27
New 463 86 0 0 0 0 27

August 2018 – 40 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 365 192 4 0 0 0 47
New 291 265 5 0 0 0 47

August 2019 – 21 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 632 5 0 0 0 0 35
New 607 30 0 0 0 0 35

August 2020 – 42 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 608 21 0 0 0 0 43
New 569 60 0 0 0 0 43

August 2021 – 21 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 458 128 23 5 0 0 58
New 384 202 23 5 0 0 58

August 2022 – 21 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 562 2 0 0 0 0 76
New 529 35 0 0 0 0 76

August 2023 – 21 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 346 274 4 0 0 0 48
New 232 388 4 0 0 0 48