New Orleans Air Quality in 2019
In 2019, New Orleans's air quality (New Orleans-Metairie, LA area) had a median daily AQI of 53 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 1 day (0.3%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 147 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 258 of those days. The cleanest month of 2019 was January (median AQI 46, 0 days above 100) and the worst was December (median 47, 1 day above 100, peak 112).
- Good: 40.3%
- Moderate: 59.5%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.3%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How was New Orleans's air quality in 2019?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 53, with 1 day above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 2nd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2019: 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 258 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: January; worst: December.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in New Orleans in 2019?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts New Orleans's (New Orleans-Metairie, LA) median daily AQI for 2019 at 53, which is Moderate. 1 day were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 112.
Which month had the worst air quality in New Orleans in 2019?▾
The cleanest month of 2019 was January (median AQI 46, 0 days above 100) and the worst was December (median 47, 1 day above 100, peak 112).
Was 2019 a good or bad year for New Orleans'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 53 is above the area's typical annual median of 49.
New Orleans month by month in 2019
New Orleans air quality month by month, 2019 (New Orleans-Metairie, LA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarycleanest | 31 | 46 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| February | 28 | 47 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 58 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| April | 30 | 53 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 53 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 64 | 0 | 93 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 52 | 0 | 78 | PM2.5 |
| August | 31 | 51 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 56 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| October | 31 | 49 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| November | 30 | 55 | 0 | 77 | PM2.5 |
| Decemberworst | 31 | 47 | 1 | 112 | PM2.5 |
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 53 is above the area's typical annual median of 49.
Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.
Right now in New Orleans
The latest EPA AirNow observation puts New Orleans's AQI at 29 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.
View current New Orleans air quality →Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (New Orleans-Metairie, LA), 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.