Charlotte Air Quality in Spring
Across 2019–2025, Charlotte's spring (March–May) air quality had a median AQI of 52 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area. 0.2% of spring days (1 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 53.1% of days. The cleanest spring on record here was 2020 (median AQI 46, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 51, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 101).
- Good: 46.4%
- Moderate: 53.4%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.2%
- 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.
Recommended: Coway AP-1512HH Mighty — True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft
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How is the air in Charlotte in spring?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52 across 2019–2025, with 0.2% of spring days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓46.4% of spring days were Good (AQI 0–50), 53.4% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 644 reached AQI 101+; the spring peak was 101.
- ✓Cleanest month: March; worst month: May.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charlotte in spring?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charlotte in spring was 52 (Moderate). 46.4% of days were Good, 53.4% Moderate, and 0.2% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is spring a good time for outdoor exercise in Charlotte?▾
A typical spring day in Charlotte is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of spring days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Charlotte's spring air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 53.1% of spring days in Charlotte. The highest spring AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 101 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2021.
Charlotte spring air quality, year by year
Charlotte spring 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 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| 2020cleanest | 92 | 46 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 92 | 51 | 1 | 101 | O3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| 2023 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| 2024 | 92 | 54 | 0 | 100 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
What spring air means in Charlotte
A typical spring day in Charlotte is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of spring days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Spring's median AQI of 52 is in line with Charlotte's whole-year median of 52, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median Spring AQI across every EPA metro area (307,196 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 43, so Charlotte runs above the national Spring norm; 0.2% of its Spring days topped AQI 100 versus 0.8% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, March is the cleanest month (median AQI 51, 0.0% of days above 100) and May the worst (median 52, 0.5% above 100).
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 season 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.