Durham Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Durham's December air quality had a median AQI of 46 (Good) over 212 monitored days in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area. 0.0% of December days (0 of 212) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 96.7% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2019 (median AQI 36, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 51, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 73).
- Good: 59.9%
- Moderate: 40.1%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Durham in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 46 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓59.9% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 40.1% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 212 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 74.
- ✓Best December: 2019; worst December: 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Durham in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Durham in December was 46 (Good). 59.9% of days were Good, 40.1% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 212 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is December a good time for outdoor exercise in Durham?▾
A typical December day in Durham sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Durham's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 96.7% of December days in Durham. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 74 (Moderate), in 2023.
Durham December air quality, year by year
Durham December air quality by year (Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019cleanest | 31 | 36 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 30 | 46 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 39 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 27 | 51 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in Durham
A typical December day in Durham sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
December's median AQI of 46 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 December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Durham runs above the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Durham's winter season (December, January, February); the winter 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.