Los Angeles Air Quality in 2019

In 2019, Los Angeles's air quality (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area) had a median daily AQI of 74 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 91 days (24.9%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 33 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 201 (Very Unhealthy). Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 172 of those days. The cleanest month of 2019 was February (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 129, 24 days above 100, peak 201).

74
Median AQI
Moderate
91
Days above AQI 100
24.9% of 365 days
140
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
201
Peak AQI
Very Unhealthy
O3
Main pollutant
172 of 365 days
33
Good days
9.0% of days
  • Good: 9.0%
  • Moderate: 66.0%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 17.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 7.9%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Los Angeles's air quality in 2019?

Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 74, with 91 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 2nd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2019: 201 (Very Unhealthy).
  • Ground-level ozone was the main pollutant on 172 days.
  • Cleanest month: February; worst: July.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Los Angeles in 2019?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Los Angeles's (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA) median daily AQI for 2019 at 74, which is Moderate. 91 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 201.

Which month had the worst air quality in Los Angeles in 2019?

The cleanest month of 2019 was February (median AQI 55, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 129, 24 days above 100, peak 201).

Was 2019 a good or bad year for Los Angeles's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2019's median of 74 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 74.

Los Angeles month by month in 2019

Los Angeles air quality month by month, 2019 (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January31701106PM2.5
Februarycleanest2855070PM2.5
March31571108PM2.5
April30663115O3
May31561105PM2.5
June309212200O3
Julyworst3112924201O3
August3112624197O3
September308411190O3
October31877197O3
November30796121PM2.5
December31661125PM2.5

How 2019 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 2nd cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2019's median of 74 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 74.

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

Right now in Los Angeles

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Los Angeles's AQI at 41 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Los Angeles air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA), 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.