Durham Air Quality in November
Across 2019–2025, Durham's November air quality had a median AQI of 43 (Good) over 210 monitored days in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area. 0.0% of November days (0 of 210) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 98.1% of days. The cleanest November on record here was 2022 (median AQI 34, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2020 (median 48, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 72).
- Good: 64.3%
- Moderate: 35.7%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Durham in November?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 43 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of November days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓64.3% of November days were Good (AQI 0–50), 35.7% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 210 reached AQI 101+; the November peak was 77.
- ✓Best November: 2022; worst November: 2020.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Durham in November?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Durham in November was 43 (Good). 64.3% of days were Good, 35.7% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 210 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is November a good time for outdoor exercise in Durham?▾
A typical November day in Durham sits in the Good range (median AQI 43), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of November days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Durham's November air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 98.1% of November days in Durham. The highest November AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 77 (Moderate), in 2020.
Durham November air quality, year by year
Durham November 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 | 30 | 42 | 0 | 59 | PM2.5 |
| 2020worst | 30 | 48 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 30 | 42 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| 2022cleanest | 30 | 34 | 0 | 55 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 30 | 46 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 30 | 42 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 30 | 45 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
What November air means in Durham
A typical November day in Durham sits in the Good range (median AQI 43), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of November days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
November's median AQI of 43 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 November AQI across every EPA metro area (92,704 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Durham runs above the national November norm; 0.0% of its November days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
November is part of Durham's fall season (September, October, November); the fall 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.