Charlotte Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, Charlotte's December air quality had a median AQI of 52 (Moderate) over 217 monitored days in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area. 0.0% of December days (0 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 84.8% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2023 (median AQI 50, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 53, 0 days above 100, peak AQI 70).
- Good: 44.2%
- Moderate: 55.8%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in Charlotte in December?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52 across 2019–2025, with 0.0% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓44.2% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 55.8% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓0 days of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 90.
- ✓Best December: 2023; worst December: 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in Charlotte in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in Charlotte in December was 52 (Moderate). 44.2% of days were Good, 55.8% Moderate, and 0.0% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is December a good time for outdoor exercise in Charlotte?▾
A typical December day in Charlotte is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes Charlotte's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 84.8% of December days in Charlotte. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 90 (Moderate), in 2024.
Charlotte December air quality, year by year
Charlotte December air quality by year (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 85 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 83 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 53 | 0 | 72 | PM2.5 |
| 2023cleanest | 31 | 50 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| 2024worst | 31 | 53 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| 2025 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in Charlotte
A typical December day in Charlotte is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
December's median AQI of 52 is in line with Charlotte's whole-year median of 52, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so Charlotte runs above the national December norm; 0.0% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of Charlotte's winter season (December, January, February); the winter page pools all three months.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in Charlotte
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Charlotte's AQI at 34 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year month statistics, not today's reading.
View current Charlotte air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-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.