Processed on 2024-03-04 13:45:35 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 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 North Carolina

April 2014 – 13 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 280 43 0 0 0 0 18
New 197 126 0 0 0 0 18

April 2015 – 12 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 263 5 0 0 0 0 11
New 236 32 0 0 0 0 11

April 2016 – 31 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 231 26 0 0 0 0 22
New 185 72 0 0 0 0 22

April 2017 – 14 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 310 40 0 0 0 0 53
New 236 114 0 0 0 0 53

April 2018 – 35 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 369 35 0 0 0 0 30
New 308 96 0 0 0 0 30

April 2019 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 354 22 0 0 0 0 27
New 295 81 0 0 0 0 27

April 2020 – 45 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 609 15 0 0 0 0 27
New 557 67 0 0 0 0 27

April 2021 – 24 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 550 120 0 0 0 0 74
New 422 248 0 0 0 0 74

April 2022 – 25 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 621 61 0 0 0 0 62
New 505 177 0 0 0 0 62

April 2023 – 26 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 600 85 1 0 0 0 58
New 472 213 1 0 0 0 58