Processed on 2024-03-04 13:59:37 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina

March 2014 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 126 55 0 0 0 0 36
New 88 93 0 0 0 0 36

March 2015 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 170 21 0 0 0 0 26
New 120 71 0 0 0 0 26

March 2016 – 15 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 114 56 0 0 0 0 47
New 77 93 0 0 0 0 47

March 2017 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 170 30 0 0 0 0 17
New 140 60 0 0 0 0 17

March 2018 – 19 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 180 41 1 0 0 0 26
New 155 66 1 0 0 0 26

March 2019 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 184 31 0 0 0 0 33
New 140 75 0 0 0 0 33

March 2020 – 18 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 187 41 0 0 0 0 20
New 140 88 0 0 0 0 20

March 2021 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 193 32 0 0 0 0 23
New 165 60 0 0 0 0 23

March 2022 – 10 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 196 34 0 0 0 0 49
New 163 67 0 0 0 0 49

March 2023 – 11 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 215 94 1 0 0 0 0
New 167 142 1 0 0 0 0