New Orleans Air Quality in December
Across 2019–2025, New Orleans's December air quality had a median AQI of 46 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area. 0.5% of December days (1 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 73.3% of days. The cleanest December on record here was 2025 (median AQI 38, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2019 (median 47, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 112).
- Good: 62.7%
- Moderate: 36.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in New Orleans in December?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 46 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of December days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓62.7% of December days were Good (AQI 0–50), 36.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 217 reached AQI 101+; the December peak was 112.
- ✓Best December: 2025; worst December: 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in New Orleans in December?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in New Orleans in December was 46 (Good). 62.7% of days were Good, 36.9% Moderate, and 0.5% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is December a good time for outdoor exercise in New Orleans?▾
A typical December day in New Orleans sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes New Orleans's December air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 73.3% of December days in New Orleans. The highest December AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2019.
New Orleans December air quality, year by year
New Orleans December air quality by year (New Orleans-Metairie, LA, EPA AQS daily AQI)
| Year | Days monitored | Median AQI | Days above 100 | Peak AQI | Main pollutant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019worst | 31 | 47 | 1 | 112 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 49 | 0 | 64 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 66 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 48 | 0 | 69 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 94 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 43 | 0 | 60 | PM2.5 |
| 2025cleanest | 31 | 38 | 0 | 81 | PM2.5 |
What December air means in New Orleans
A typical December day in New Orleans sits in the Good range (median AQI 46), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of December days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
December's median AQI of 46 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 December AQI across every EPA metro area (95,590 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 39, so New Orleans runs above the national December norm; 0.5% of its December days topped AQI 100 versus 0.7% nationally (about the same).
December is part of New Orleans's winter season (December, January, February); the winter 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.