New Orleans Air Quality in Fall
Across 2019–2025, New Orleans's fall (September–November) air quality had a median AQI of 52 (Moderate) over 637 monitored days in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area. 0.2% of fall days (1 of 637) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 68.1% of days. The cleanest fall on record here was 2020 (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 48, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 101).
- Good: 46.6%
- Moderate: 53.2%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in New Orleans in fall?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 52 across 2019–2025, with 0.2% of fall days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓46.6% of fall days were Good (AQI 0–50), 53.2% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 637 reached AQI 101+; the fall peak was 101.
- ✓Cleanest month: November; worst month: September.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in New Orleans in fall?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in New Orleans in fall was 52 (Moderate). 46.6% of days were Good, 53.2% Moderate, and 0.2% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 637 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is fall a good time for outdoor exercise in New Orleans?▾
A typical fall 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 fall 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 fall air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 68.1% of fall days in New Orleans. The highest fall AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 101 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2025.
New Orleans fall air quality, year by year
New Orleans fall 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 | 91 | 54 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 91 | 44 | 0 | 90 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 91 | 54 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 91 | 53 | 0 | 80 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 91 | 50 | 0 | 96 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 91 | 46 | 0 | 97 | O3 |
| 2025worst | 91 | 48 | 1 | 101 | O3 |
What fall air means in New Orleans
A typical fall 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 fall days reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Fall'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 Fall AQI across every EPA metro area (296,275 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 40, so New Orleans runs above the national Fall norm; 0.2% of its Fall days topped AQI 100 versus 1.5% nationally (below average).
Within the season, November is the cleanest month (median AQI 50, 0.0% of days above 100) and September the worst (median 52, 0.5% above 100).
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 season 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.