Processed on 2024-03-04 13:45:07 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 North Carolina spent in each AQI category during the the month of January.

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.

January in North Carolina

January 2014 – 13 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 277 56 0 0 0 0 8
New 213 120 0 0 0 0 8

January 2015 – 12 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 214 27 0 0 0 0 69
New 161 80 0 0 0 0 69

January 2016 – 31 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 199 13 0 0 0 0 5
New 167 45 0 0 0 0 5

January 2017 – 14 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 358 35 0 0 0 0 10
New 317 76 0 0 0 0 10

January 2018 – 35 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 355 73 0 0 0 0 6
New 281 147 0 0 0 0 6

January 2019 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 419 27 0 0 0 0 19
New 371 75 0 0 0 0 19

January 2020 – 45 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 606 10 0 0 0 0 35
New 557 59 0 0 0 0 35

January 2021 – 24 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 641 46 0 0 0 0 26
New 538 149 0 0 0 0 26

January 2022 – 25 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 664 66 0 0 0 0 14
New 527 203 0 0 0 0 14

January 2023 – 26 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 668 71 0 0 0 0 5
New 541 198 0 0 0 0 5