Durham Air Quality in August
Across 2019–2025, Durham's August air quality had a median AQI of 44 (Good) over 216 monitored days in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area. 0.0% of August days (0 of 216) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 57.9% of days. The cleanest August on record here was 2022 (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 53, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 97).
- Good: 69.4%
- Moderate: 30.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Durham in August?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of August days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓69.4% of August days were Good (AQI 0–50), 30.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 216 reached AQI 101+; the August peak was 97.
- ✓Best August: 2022; worst August: 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Durham in August?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Durham in August was 44 (Good). 69.4% of days were Good, 30.6% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 216 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is August a good time for outdoor exercise in Durham?▾
A typical August day in Durham sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of August days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Durham's August air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 57.9% of August days in Durham. The highest August AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 97 (Moderate), in 2024.
Durham August air quality, year by year
Durham August air quality by year (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2020 | 30 | 39 | 0 | 54 | O3 |
| 2021 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2022cleanest | 31 | 38 | 0 | 55 | O3 |
| 2023 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 71 | O3 |
| 2024worst | 31 | 53 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 38 | 0 | 74 | O3 |
What August air means in Durham
A typical August day in Durham sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of August days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
August's median AQI of 44 is in line with Durham's whole-year median of 44, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median August AQI across every EPA metro area (104,152 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 45, so Durham runs in line with the national August norm; 0.0% of its August days topped AQI 100 versus 3.5% nationally (below average).
August is part of Durham's summer season (June, July, August); the summer page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Durham
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Durham's AQI at 41 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Durham air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC), 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.