I’m from NC myself, I haven’t been here long but I can say I don’t notice an acute difference on “bad air quality” days. Granted I don’t work outside or anything so that may make a difference, but I do have asthma and it’s not exacerbated by the low air quality.

As far as winter weather goes, while I can say I have honestly seen more instances of snow already this year than I’m used to seeing back home (mostly flurries, but still), the temperature has more or less lined up with what I’d be experiencing in North Carolina. It’s mostly just been weird to rework the part of my brain that says “snow means you don’t have to go to work.”