Raleigh Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Raleigh's March air quality had a median AQI of 48 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Raleigh, NC area. 0.0% of March days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 55.8% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2021 (median AQI 45, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 55, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 64).
- Good: 56.2%
- Moderate: 43.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Raleigh in March?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of March days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓56.2% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 43.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 84.
- ✓Best March: 2021; worst March: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Raleigh in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Raleigh in March was 48 (Good). 56.2% of days were Good, 43.8% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is March a good time for outdoor exercise in Raleigh?▾
A typical March day in Raleigh 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 March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Raleigh's March air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 55.8% of March days in Raleigh. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 84 (Moderate), in 2019.
Raleigh March air quality, year by year
Raleigh March air quality by year (Raleigh, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 55 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2021cleanest | 31 | 45 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 62 | O3 |
| 2024 | 31 | 45 | 0 | 81 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
What March air means in Raleigh
A typical March day in Raleigh 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 March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
March's median AQI of 48 is in line with Raleigh's whole-year median of 48, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Raleigh runs above the national March norm; 0.0% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
March is part of Raleigh's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Raleigh
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Raleigh's AQI at 47 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Raleigh air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Raleigh, 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.