Charleston, WV Air Quality in January
Across 2019–2025, Charleston's January air quality had a median AQI of 39 (Good) over 216 monitored days in the Charleston, WV area. 0.0% of January days (0 of 216) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 76.4% of days. The cleanest January on record here was 2024 (median AQI 28, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2022 (median 50, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 63).
- Good: 74.5%
- Moderate: 25.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Extra Protection for Charleston Homes
Air quality in Charleston is moderate (AQI 55), with fine particles (PM2.5) the main concern. A True-HEPA purifier gives sensitive groups — kids, seniors and anyone with asthma or allergies — cleaner air indoors on days like today.
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How is the air in Charleston in January?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 39 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of January days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓74.5% of January days were Good (AQI 0–50), 25.5% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 216 reached AQI 101+; the January peak was 75.
- ✓Best January: 2024; worst January: 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charleston in January?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charleston in January was 39 (Good). 74.5% of days were Good, 25.5% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 216 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is January a good time for outdoor exercise in Charleston?▾
A typical January day in Charleston sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes Charleston's January air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 76.4% of January days in Charleston. The highest January AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 75 (Moderate), in 2022.
Charleston January air quality, year by year
Charleston January air quality by year (Charleston, WV, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 34 | 0 | 59 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| 2022worst | 31 | 50 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 30 | 35 | 0 | 56 | PM2.5 |
| 2024cleanest | 31 | 28 | 0 | 64 | O3 |
| 2025 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 63 | PM2.5 |
What January air means in Charleston
A typical January day in Charleston sits in the Good range (median AQI 39), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of January days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
January's median AQI of 39 is in line with Charleston's whole-year median of 41, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median January AQI across every EPA metro area (95,602 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Charleston runs in line with the national January norm; 0.0% of its January days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
January 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 55 (PM2.5). 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, WV), 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.