Winston-Salem Air Quality in 2020

In 2020, Winston-Salem's air quality (Winston-Salem, NC area) had a median daily AQI of 47 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 209 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 97 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 272 of those days. The cleanest month of 2020 was May (median AQI 40, 0 days above 100) and the worst was November (median 57, 0 days above 100, peak 75).

47
Median AQI
Good
0
Days above AQI 100
0.0% of 366 days
61
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
97
Peak AQI
Moderate
PM2.5
Main pollutant
272 of 366 days
209
Good days
57.1% of days
  • Good: 57.1%
  • Moderate: 42.9%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Winston-Salem's air quality in 2020?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 47, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 1st cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2020: 97 (Moderate).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 272 days.
  • Cleanest month: May; worst: November.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Winston-Salem in 2020?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Winston-Salem's (Winston-Salem, NC) median daily AQI for 2020 at 47, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 97.

Which month had the worst air quality in Winston-Salem in 2020?

The cleanest month of 2020 was May (median AQI 40, 0 days above 100) and the worst was November (median 57, 0 days above 100, peak 75).

Was 2020 a good or bad year for Winston-Salem's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here. 2020's median of 47 is below the area's typical annual median of 50.

Winston-Salem month by month in 2020

Winston-Salem air quality month by month, 2020 (Winston-Salem, NC, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3141057PM2.5
February2941071PM2.5
March3145067PM2.5
April3045057O3
Maycleanest3140061O3
June3050096PM2.5
July3151085PM2.5
August3156097PM2.5
September3049074PM2.5
October3150060PM2.5
Novemberworst3057075PM2.5
December3155088PM2.5

How 2020 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2020 ranks 1st cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the best year on record here.

2020's median of 47 is below the area's typical annual median of 50.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Right now in Winston-Salem

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Winston-Salem's AQI at 52 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Winston-Salem air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Winston-Salem, NC), 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.