Raleigh Air Quality in Spring
Across 2019–2025, Raleigh's spring (March–May) air quality had a median AQI of 49 (Good) over 644 monitored days in the Raleigh, NC area. 0.0% of spring days (0 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 51.9% of days. The cleanest spring on record here was 2020 (median AQI 46, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 55, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 80).
- Good: 53.4%
- Moderate: 46.6%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Raleigh in spring?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 49 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of spring days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓53.4% of spring days were Good (AQI 0–50), 46.6% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the spring peak was 97.
- ✓Cleanest month: March; worst month: May.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Raleigh in spring?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Raleigh in spring was 49 (Good). 53.4% of days were Good, 46.6% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is spring a good time for outdoor exercise in Raleigh?▾
A typical spring day in Raleigh sits in the Good range (median AQI 49), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of spring days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Raleigh's spring air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 51.9% of spring days in Raleigh. The highest spring AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 97 (Moderate), in 2019.
Raleigh spring air quality, year by year
Raleigh spring air quality by year (Raleigh, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 92 | 55 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 92 | 46 | 0 | 82 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 92 | 48 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| 2023 | 92 | 49 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| 2024 | 92 | 48 | 0 | 81 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 48 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
What spring air means in Raleigh
A typical spring day in Raleigh sits in the Good range (median AQI 49), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of spring days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Spring's median AQI of 49 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 Spring AQI across every EPA metro area (307,196 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 43, so Raleigh runs above the national Spring norm; 0.0% of its Spring days topped AQI 100 versus 0.8% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, March is the cleanest month (median AQI 48, 0.0% of days above 100) and May the worst (median 50, 0.0% above 100).
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 season 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.