Raleigh Air Quality in May
Across 2019–2025, Raleigh's May air quality had a median AQI of 50 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Raleigh, NC area. 0.0% of May days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 53.5% of days. The cleanest May on record here was 2025 (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 59, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 87).
- Good: 51.2%
- Moderate: 48.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Raleigh in May?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 50 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of May days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓51.2% of May days were Good (AQI 0–50), 48.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the May peak was 87.
- ✓Best May: 2025; worst May: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Raleigh in May?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Raleigh in May was 50 (Good). 51.2% of days were Good, 48.8% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is May a good time for outdoor exercise in Raleigh?▾
A typical May day in Raleigh sits in the Good range (median AQI 50), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Raleigh's May air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 53.5% of May days in Raleigh. The highest May AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 87 (Moderate), in 2021.
Raleigh May air quality, year by year
Raleigh May air quality by year (Raleigh, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 65 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 59 | 0 | 87 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 54 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 50 | 0 | 67 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 44 | 0 | 61 | O3 |
What May air means in Raleigh
A typical May day in Raleigh sits in the Good range (median AQI 50), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of May days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
May's median AQI of 50 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 May AQI across every EPA metro area (104,064 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 44, so Raleigh runs above the national May norm; 0.0% of its May days topped AQI 100 versus 1.3% nationally (below average).
May 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.