New Orleans Air Quality in Spring
Across 2019–2025, New Orleans's spring (March–May) air quality had a median AQI of 51 (Moderate) over 644 monitored days in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area. 1.2% of spring days (8 of 644) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 50.3% of days. The cleanest spring on record here was 2021 (median AQI 44, 0 days above 100) and the worst was 2023 (median 55, 4 days above 100, peak AQI 112).
- Good: 46.4%
- Moderate: 52.3%
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 1.2%
- Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%
Improve Indoor Air Quality
Even with good outdoor air in New Orleans, indoor PM2.5, dust and allergens build up. A True-HEPA purifier keeps a bedroom or office consistently clean.
Recommended: Levoit Core 400S — True HEPA · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How is the air in New Orleans in spring?
Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 51 across 2019–2025, with 1.2% of spring days above AQI 100. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main driver.
- ✓46.4% of spring days were Good (AQI 0–50), 52.3% Moderate (51–100).
- ✓8 days of 644 reached AQI 101+; the spring peak was 112.
- ✓Cleanest month: March; worst month: May.
Frequently asked questions
What is the air quality like in New Orleans in spring?▾
Across 2019–2025, the median daily AQI in New Orleans in spring was 51 (Moderate). 46.4% of days were Good, 52.3% Moderate, and 1.2% reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, based on 644 monitored days in EPA's Air Quality System.
Is spring a good time for outdoor exercise in New Orleans?▾
A typical spring day in New Orleans is Moderate (median AQI 51): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 83 of spring days (1.2%) 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 spring air quality problems?▾
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 50.3% of spring days in New Orleans. The highest spring AQI recorded in 2019–2025 was 112 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), in 2023.
New Orleans spring air quality, year by year
New Orleans spring 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 | 92 | 54 | 0 | 84 | PM2.5 |
| 2020 | 92 | 48 | 0 | 84 | O3 |
| 2021cleanest | 92 | 44 | 0 | 80 | O3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 54 | 1 | 108 | PM2.5 |
| 2023worst | 92 | 55 | 4 | 112 | PM2.5 |
| 2024 | 92 | 49 | 2 | 105 | O3 |
| 2025 | 92 | 51 | 1 | 105 | O3 |
What spring air means in New Orleans
A typical spring day in New Orleans is Moderate (median AQI 51): outdoor exercise is acceptable for most people, but unusually sensitive individuals should watch for symptoms, and about 1 day in 83 of spring days (1.2%) reached AQI 101+ — the level at which EPA advises people with asthma, children and older adults to shorten hard outdoor exertion.
Spring's median AQI of 51 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 Spring AQI across every EPA metro area (307,196 metro-days, 2019–2025) is 43, so New Orleans runs above the national Spring norm; 1.2% of its Spring days topped AQI 100 versus 0.8% nationally (about the same).
Within the season, March is the cleanest month (median AQI 49, 0.5% of days above 100) and May the worst (median 52, 2.8% 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.