Processed on 2024-03-04 14:11:56 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 Virginia 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 Virginia

May 2014 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 202 14 0 0 0 0 8
New 161 55 0 0 0 0 8

May 2015 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 204 13 0 0 0 0 7
New 162 55 0 0 0 0 7

May 2016 – 16 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 161 13 0 0 0 0 50
New 146 28 0 0 0 0 50

May 2017 – 9 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 177 2 0 0 0 0 13
New 166 13 0 0 0 0 13

May 2018 – 12 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 159 10 0 0 0 0 23
New 131 38 0 0 0 0 23

May 2019 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 202 11 0 0 0 0 11
New 158 55 0 0 0 0 11

May 2020 – 14 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 217 0 0 0 0 0 7
New 201 16 0 0 0 0 7

May 2021 – 7 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 182 14 0 0 0 0 28
New 149 47 0 0 0 0 28

May 2022 – 12 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 189 21 0 0 0 0 14
New 162 48 0 0 0 0 14

May 2023 – 26 permanent monitors

Good Moderate USG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous Missing
Old 257 66 0 0 0 0 29
New 207 116 0 0 0 0 29