Charleston, SC Air Quality in November
Across 2019–2025, Charleston's November air quality had a median AQI of 45 (Good) over 210 monitored days in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC area. 0.0% of November days (0 of 210) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.2% of days. The cleanest November on record here was 2024 (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 68).
- Good: 65.7%
- Moderate: 34.3%
- 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 November?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 45 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of November days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓65.7% of November days were Good (AQI 0–50), 34.3% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 210 reached AQI 101+; the November peak was 73.
- ✓Best November: 2024; worst November: 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charleston in November?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charleston in November was 45 (Good). 65.7% of days were Good, 34.3% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 210 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is November a good time for outdoor exercise in Charleston?▾
A typical November day in Charleston sits in the Good range (median AQI 45), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of November days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Charleston's November air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 85.2% of November days in Charleston. The highest November AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 73 (Moderate), in 2022.
Charleston November air quality, year by year
Charleston November 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 | 30 | 41 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 30 | 43 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 30 | 48 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 30 | 50 | 0 | 68 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 30 | 45 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 30 | 38 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 30 | 49 | 0 | 62 | PM2.5 |
What November air means in Charleston
A typical November day in Charleston sits in the Good range (median AQI 45), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of November days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
November's median AQI of 45 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 November AQI across every EPA metro area (92,704 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Charleston runs above the national November norm; 0.0% of its November days topped AQI 100 versus 0.6% nationally (about the same).
November is part of Charleston's fall season (September, October, November); the fall 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.