Processed on 2024-03-04 13:43:33 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 New York spent in each AQI category during the the month of March.

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.

March in New York

March 2014 – 16 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 312 62 0 0 0 0 29
New 251 123 0 0 0 0 29

March 2015 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 420 73 0 0 0 0 3
New 339 154 0 0 0 0 3

March 2016 – 37 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 491 65 0 0 0 0 2
New 450 106 0 0 0 0 2

March 2017 – 23 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 537 33 0 0 0 0 19
New 482 88 0 0 0 0 19

March 2018 – 41 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 640 30 0 0 0 0 43
New 604 66 0 0 0 0 43

March 2019 – 23 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 61 1 0 0 0 0 0
New 49 13 0 0 0 0 0

March 2020 – 36 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 583 7 0 0 0 0 30
New 539 51 0 0 0 0 30

March 2021 – 20 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 496 29 0 0 0 0 2
New 467 58 0 0 0 0 2

March 2022 – 26 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 661 72 0 0 0 0 42
New 552 181 0 0 0 0 42

March 2023 – 27 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 791 40 0 0 0 0 6
New 720 111 0 0 0 0 6