Processed on 2024-03-04 13:45:50 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 May.

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.

May in North Carolina

May 2014 – 13 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 274 49 0 0 0 0 29
New 154 169 0 0 0 0 29

May 2015 – 12 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 253 20 0 0 0 0 15
New 194 79 0 0 0 0 15

May 2016 – 31 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 225 59 0 0 0 0 36
New 171 113 0 0 0 0 36

May 2017 – 14 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 308 48 0 0 0 0 60
New 247 109 0 0 0 0 60

May 2018 – 35 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 349 44 0 0 0 0 87
New 279 114 0 0 0 0 87

May 2019 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 283 61 0 0 0 0 72
New 203 141 0 0 0 0 72

May 2020 – 45 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 619 4 0 0 0 0 81
New 557 66 0 0 0 0 81

May 2021 – 24 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 565 123 0 0 0 0 80
New 425 263 0 0 0 0 80

May 2022 – 25 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 613 88 0 0 0 0 67
New 459 242 0 0 0 0 67

May 2023 – 26 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 600 117 0 0 0 0 51
New 461 256 0 0 0 0 51