Charleston, SC Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, Charleston's March air quality had a median AQI of 49 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC 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 67.3% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2024 (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2021 (median 52, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 68).
- Good: 52.5%
- Moderate: 47.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- 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 March?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 49 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of March days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓52.5% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 47.5% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 90.
- ✓Best March: 2024; worst March: 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charleston in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charleston in March was 49 (Good). 52.5% of days were Good, 47.5% 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 Charleston?▾
A typical March day in Charleston 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 March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Charleston's March air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 67.3% of March days in Charleston. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 90 (Moderate), in 2021.
Charleston March air quality, year by year
Charleston March 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 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 61 | PM2.5 |
| 2021worst | 31 | 52 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 79 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 44 | 0 | 90 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 71 | O3 |
What March air means in Charleston
A typical March day in Charleston 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 March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
March's median AQI of 49 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 March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so Charleston 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 Charleston's spring season (March, April, May); the spring 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.