In 2025:
- Thirty-eight stations exceeded the PM10 daily standard, observed on 36 days in 2025 (compared to 9 stations on 18 days in 2024).
- Thirty-one stations exceeded the PM2.5 daily standard, observed on 33 days in 2025 (compared to 9 stations on 20 days in 2024).
- Air quality was extremely poor (at least twice the national standard) across 5 days at 8 stations observed on:
- 3 consecutive days (11 to 13 April) at Bargo due to hazard reduction burning
- 27 May at 6 stations due to a widespread dust storm
- 9 December at Morisset due to bushfire smoke.
- In comparison, extremely poor air quality was recorded only once in 2024, at Richmond (North West Sydney).
- All stations in metropolitan and regional centres met the annual particle standards for PM10 and PM2.5.
Particles as PM10
- Daily average national standard – 50 µg/m3
- Annual average national standard – 25 µg/m3
Thirty-eight stations exceeded the PM10 daily standard in 2025 (see the PM10 summary graph below) over 36 days. Nine stations exceeded the PM10 daily standard in 2024 over 18 days.
The highest daily average (193.4 µg/m3) was recorded on 27 May at Albury during a widespread dust storm. This was one of 2 extremely poor air quality days due to PM10. The other was at Bargo on 11 April, during hazard reduction burning.
Wagga Wagga North exceeded the PM10 standard on 14 days in 2025, the highest at metropolitan and regional centre stations, most of which (9 days) were attributed to local dust.
Annual average PM10 levels remained below the 25.0 µg/m3 standard at metropolitan and regional centre stations. The highest annual average was 23.1 µg/m3 at Wagga Wagga North.
PM10 daily and annual summary
The graph below summarises PM10 measurements at NSW metropolitan and regional population centres. It shows, for PM10, the maximum daily average for each station, each station’s annual average and the total count of event days.
Days exceeding the standard are divided into exceptional and non-exceptional events. Exceptional events are exceedances caused by bushfires, hazard reduction burns and continental-scale dust storms. These are not counted towards the NEPM (National Environment Protection Measures) goal of ‘no days exceeding the particle standards in a year’.
Note:
Bar chart summary of PM10 measurements at NSW metropolitan and regional population centres. It shows, for PM10, the maximum daily average for each station, the station annual average, and total count of event days.
Days exceeding standard are divided into exceptional and non-exceptional events. Exceptional events are those related to bushfires, hazard reduction burns and continental-scale dust storms. These are not counted towards the NEPM (National Environment Protection Measures) goal of 'no days exceeding the particle standards in a year.'
^ Stockton is excluded from this analysis.
# Data from Aberdeen, Merriwa, Muswellbrook and Singleton only.
PM10 annual averages for Ultimo–UTS, Bargo and Bathurst have not been computed, as <75% of data were valid for 2025.
Particles as PM2.5
- Daily average national standard – 25 µg/m3
- Annual average national standard – 8 µg/m3
Thirty-one stations exceeded the PM2.5 daily standard during 2025 over 33 days (see the PM2.5 summary graph below). Nine stations exceeded the PM2.5 daily standard in 2024 over 20 days.
The highest daily average (127.1 µg/m3) was recorded on 11 April at Bargo due to hazard reduction burning. Extremely poor air quality due to PM2.5 was recorded at Bargo from 11 to 13 April, and at Morisset on 9 December (bushfire smoke). One day of extremely poor air quality was recorded in 2024 at Richmond.
Wagga Wagga North also exceeded the PM2.5 daily standard most frequently in 2025, with 7 days mostly attributable to hazard reduction burning. In June, Armidale recorded 6 exceedance days, and Gunnedah recorded 5, due to wood heater smoke.
Annual average PM2.5 levels remained below the 8.0 µg/m3 standard at all stations. The highest annual average was 7.9 µg/m3 at Bradfield Highway.
PM2.5 daily and annual summary
The graph below summarises PM2.5 measurements at NSW metropolitan and regional population centres. It shows, for PM2.5, the maximum daily average for each station, each station’s annual average and a total count of event days.
Days exceeding the standard are divided into exceptional and non-exceptional events. Exceptional events are exceedances caused by bushfires, hazard reduction burns and continental-scale dust storms. These are not counted towards the NEPM (National Environment Protection Measures) goal of ‘no days exceeding the particle standards in a year’.
As Camberwell (Upper Hunter) monitors PM2.5, it is included in the graph below. Aberdeen (Upper Hunter) does not monitor PM2.5.
Note:
Bar chart summary of PM2.5 measurements in metropolitan and regional population centres measuring PM2.5. It shows, for PM2.5, the maximum daily average, annual average, and total count of event days.
Days exceeding standard are divided into exceptional and non-exceptional events. Exceptional events relate to bushfires, hazard reduction burns and continental-scale dust storms. These are not counted towards the NEPM (National Environment Protection Measures) goal of 'no days exceeding the particle standards in a year’.
^ Stockton is excluded from this analysis.
# Data from Camberwell, Merriwa, Muswellbrook and Singleton only.
PM2.5 annual averages for Ultimo–UTS and Bargo have not been computed, as <75% of data were valid for 2025.