Charlotte Air Quality in January
Across 2019–2025, Charlotte's January air quality had a median AQI of 48 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area. 0.0% of January days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 79.7% of days. The cleanest January on record here was 2024 (median AQI 42, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 52, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 69).
- Good: 54.8%
- Moderate: 45.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for Charlotte Homes
Air quality in Charlotte is moderate (AQI 73), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
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How is the air in Charlotte in January?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓54.8% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 45.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 70.
- ✓Best January: 2024; worst January: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charlotte in January?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charlotte in January was 48 (Good). 54.8% of days were Good, 45.2% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is January a good time for outdoor exercise in Charlotte?▾
A typical January day in Charlotte sits in the Good range (median AQI 48), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Charlotte's January air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 79.7% of January days in Charlotte. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 70 (Moderate), in 2023.
Charlotte January air quality, year by year
Charlotte January air quality by year (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 46 | 0 | 58 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 31 | 52 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 42 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
What January air means in Charlotte
A typical January day in Charlotte sits in the Good range (median AQI 48), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
January's median AQI of 48 is below Charlotte's whole-year median of 52, making it one of the area's cleaner periods. Nationally, the median January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Charlotte runs above the national January norm; 0.0% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
January is part of Charlotte's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Charlotte
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Charlotte's AQI at 73 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Charlotte air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.