Charleston, SC Air Quality in February
Across 2019–2025, Charleston's February air quality had a median AQI of 44 (Good) over 198 monitored days in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC area. 0.5% of February days (1 of 198) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 71.7% of days. The cleanest February on record here was 2020 (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 53, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 105).
- Good: 64.6%
- Moderate: 34.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Reduce Indoor Ozone in Charleston
Today's main pollutant in Charleston is ground-level ozone (AQI 31). Important: standard HEPA filters do NOT remove ozone — only a purifier with a substantial activated-carbon bed adsorbs it. The biggest wins are cutting indoor sources (gas appliances, certain "ionizer" purifiers) and ventilating when outdoor ozone is low (early morning). A high-carbon unit helps with the gases and VOCs that linger indoors.
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How is the air in Charleston in February?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 44 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of February days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓64.6% of February days were Good (AQI 0–50), 34.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 198 reached AQI 101+; the February peak was 105.
- ✓Best February: 2020; worst February: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charleston in February?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charleston in February was 44 (Good). 64.6% of days were Good, 34.8% Moderate, and 0.5% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 198 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is February a good time for outdoor exercise in Charleston?▾
A typical February day in Charleston sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of February days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Charleston's February air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 71.7% of February days in Charleston. The highest February AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2025.
Charleston February air quality, year by year
Charleston February air quality by year (Charleston-North Charleston, SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 28 | 44 | 0 | 57 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 29 | 41 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| 2021 | 28 | 42 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 28 | 52 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 28 | 44 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 29 | 42 | 0 | 76 | O3 |
| 2025worst | 28 | 53 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
What February air means in Charleston
A typical February day in Charleston sits in the Good range (median AQI 44), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of February days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
February's median AQI of 44 is in line with Charleston's whole-year median of 47, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median February AQI across every EPA metro area (87,428 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 41, so Charleston runs in line with the national February norm; 0.5% of its February days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
February is part of Charleston's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Charleston
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Charleston's AQI at 31 (O3). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Charleston air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Charleston-North Charleston, SC), 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.