Processed on 2024-03-04 13:58:28 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island

August 2014 – 2 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 62 0 0 0 0 0 2
New 62 0 0 0 0 0 2

August 2015 – 2 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 53 3 0 0 0 0 8
New 47 9 0 0 0 0 8

August 2016 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 58 0 0 0 0 0 6
New 58 0 0 0 0 0 6

August 2017 – 4 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 116 8 0 0 0 0 4
New 97 27 0 0 0 0 4

August 2018 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 87 37 0 0 0 0 4
New 58 66 0 0 0 0 4

August 2019 – 4 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 119 2 0 0 0 0 7
New 99 22 0 0 0 0 7

August 2020 – 10 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 106 14 0 0 0 0 40
New 79 41 0 0 0 0 40

August 2021 – 5 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 123 26 0 0 0 0 11
New 94 55 0 0 0 0 11

August 2022 – 4 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 113 1 0 0 0 0 14
New 105 9 0 0 0 0 14

August 2023 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 153 15 0 0 0 0 24
New 136 32 0 0 0 0 24