New Orleans Air Quality in April
Across 2019–2025, New Orleans's April air quality had a median AQI of 52 (Moderate) over 210 monitored days in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area. 0.5% of April days (1 of 210) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 52.9% of days. The cleanest April on record here was 2021 (median AQI 45, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2024 (median 53, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 105).
- Good: 43.3%
- Moderate: 56.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in New Orleans in April?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of April days above AQI 100. Ground-level ozone is the main driver.
- ✓43.3% of April days were Good (AQI 0–50), 56.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 210 reached AQI 101+; the April peak was 105.
- ✓Best April: 2021; worst April: 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in New Orleans in April?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in New Orleans in April was 52 (Moderate). 43.3% of days were Good, 56.2% Moderate, and 0.5% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 210 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is April a good time for outdoor exercise in New Orleans?▾
A typical April day in New Orleans is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of April days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Which pollutant causes New Orleans's April air quality problems?▾
Ground-level ozone set the daily AQI on 52.9% of April days in New Orleans. The highest April AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2024.
New Orleans April air quality, year by year
New Orleans April air quality by year (New Orleans-Metairie, LA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 30 | 53 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| 2020 | 30 | 52 | 0 | 71 | O3 |
| 2021cleanest | 30 | 45 | 0 | 58 | O3 |
| 2022 | 30 | 53 | 0 | 74 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 30 | 51 | 0 | 93 | O3 |
| 2024worst | 30 | 53 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
| 2025 | 30 | 54 | 0 | 100 | PM2.5 |
What April air means in New Orleans
A typical April day in New Orleans is Moderate (median AQI 52): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and fewer than 1% of April days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
April's median AQI of 52 is in line with New Orleans's whole-year median of 49, so this period is neither a clean nor a dirty stretch for the area. Nationally, the median April AQI across every EPA metro area (100,677 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 44, so New Orleans runs above the national April norm; 0.5% of its April days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
April is part of New Orleans's spring season (March, April, May); the spring page pools all three months.
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 month 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.