New Orleans Air Quality in 2024
In 2024, New Orleans's air quality (New Orleans-Metairie, LA area) had a median daily AQI of 48 (Good) across 366 monitored days. 6 days (1.6%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 199 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 188 (Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 199 of those days. The cleanest month of 2024 was November (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 59, 2 days above 100, peak 101).
- Good: 54.4%
- Moderate: 44.0%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.4%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.3%
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How was New Orleans's air quality in 2024?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 48, with 6 days above AQI 100 out of 366 monitored — the 6th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.
- ✓Peak AQI in 2024: 188 (Unhealthy).
- ✓Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 199 days.
- ✓Cleanest month: November; worst: August.
Frequently asked questions
What was the average AQI in New Orleans in 2024?▾
EPA's Air Quality System puts New Orleans's (New Orleans-Metairie, LA) median daily AQI for 2024 at 48, which is Good. 6 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 188.
Which month had the worst air quality in New Orleans in 2024?▾
The cleanest month of 2024 was November (median AQI 41, 0 days above 100) and the worst was August (median 59, 2 days above 100, peak 101).
Was 2024 a good or bad year for New Orleans's air?▾
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2024's median of 48 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 49.
New Orleans month by month in 2024
New Orleans air quality month by month, 2024 (New Orleans-Metairie, LA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Month | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 41 | 1 | 188 | PM2.5 |
| February | 29 | 52 | 0 | 71 | PM2.5 |
| March | 31 | 47 | 0 | 57 | O3 |
| April | 30 | 53 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
| May | 31 | 57 | 1 | 105 | PM2.5 |
| June | 30 | 47 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| July | 31 | 52 | 0 | 73 | PM2.5 |
| Augustworst | 31 | 59 | 2 | 101 | PM2.5 |
| September | 30 | 50 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| October | 31 | 57 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| Novembercleanest | 30 | 41 | 0 | 57 | O3 |
| December | 31 | 43 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
How 2024 compares
Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2024 ranks 6th cleanest by days above AQI 100.
2024's median of 48 is in line with 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 43 (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.