New Orleans Air Quality in March
Across 2019–2025, New Orleans's March air quality had a median AQI of 49 (Good) over 217 monitored days in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area. 0.5% of March days (1 of 217) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 54.8% of days. The cleanest March on record here was 2020 (median AQI 42, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2025 (median 52, 1 day above 100, peak AQI 105).
- Good: 51.6%
- Moderate: 47.9%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.5%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
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How is the air in New Orleans in March?
Good on a typical day: median AQI 49 across 2019–2025, with 0.5% of March days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓51.6% of March days were Good (AQI 0–50), 47.9% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓1 day of 217 reached AQI 101+; the March peak was 105.
- ✓Best March: 2020; worst March: 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in New Orleans in March?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in New Orleans in March was 49 (Good). 51.6% of days were Good, 47.9% Moderate, and 0.5% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 217 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is March a good time for outdoor exercise in New Orleans?▾
A typical March day in New Orleans sits in the Good range (median AQI 49), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
Which pollutant causes New Orleans's March air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 54.8% of March days in New Orleans. The highest March AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 105 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2025.
New Orleans March air quality, year by year
New Orleans March 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 | 31 | 58 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2020cleanest | 31 | 42 | 0 | 75 | PM2.5 |
| 2021 | 31 | 42 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 52 | 0 | 97 | PM2.5 |
| 2023 | 31 | 55 | 0 | 70 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 31 | 47 | 0 | 57 | O3 |
| 2025worst | 31 | 52 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
What March air means in New Orleans
A typical March day in New Orleans sits in the Good range (median AQI 49), so running, cycling and children's outdoor play are fine for everyone on most days; fewer than 1% of March days reached AQI 101+ in 2019–2025.
March's median AQI of 49 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 March AQI across every EPA metro area (102,455 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 42, so New Orleans runs above the national March norm; 0.5% of its March days topped AQI 100 versus 0.4% nationally (about the same).
March 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.