Worst air pollution New Orleans, today and tomorrow
Today (20 September): Air quality in New Orleans is poor. AQI and PM10 are poor; PM2.5 is moderate; NO2, O3, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (PM10: 72.3/100).
Tomorrow (21 September 2026): Air quality in New Orleans is moderate. AQI improves to moderate; PM10 decreases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (PM10: 53.8/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
Get the full experience in the Airmine app.
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
Follow your pollen exposure and performance with the free Airmine–Strava integration. See your pollen and air quality exposure for every Strava activity.
New Orleans' air quality reflects its position in the lower Mississippi industrial corridor, with petrochemical and refinery emissions from the River Road plants upwind and heavy port traffic generating elevated PM2.5 and SO₂ alongside vehicle emissions from the I-10 and I-610 beltway. The flat Gulf Coast terrain and consistent Gulf breezes provide reasonable ventilation on most days.
Today - 20 September | Pollution peaks at 10:00
AQI:
Poor
72.3/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
46.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Poor
72.3/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.2/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
13.0/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.4/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
0.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
5.2/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 21 September | Pollution peaks at 08:00
AQI:
Moderate
53.8/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Moderate
41.9/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Moderate
53.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Good
0.3/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
13.9/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
0.2/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.4/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Good
0.8/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Good
4.1/100
Pollen forecast in New Orleans
View pollen forecastAir quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in New Orleans
Sports venues in New Orleans
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in New Orleans right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall air quality in New Orleans is poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 72.3/100. Pollution peaks around 10:00 AM (PM10: 72.3/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in New Orleans?
On 21 September 2026, air quality conditions in New Orleans will be better than today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 53.8/100. Pollution peaks around 8:00 AM (PM10: 53.8/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in New Orleans?
New Orleans sees air quality change through the year: once the long summer ozone season ends, winter offers the year's cleanest air, but extended summer heat and humidity, along with local industry, keep ozone elevated for months. Industrial corridors nearby tend to see more persistent background pollution than surrounding suburban areas.
Are air quality levels in New Orleans based on measurements or forecasts?
It is forecasts derived by downscaling forecasts provided by EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) by taking into account local conditions such as traffic patterns. CAMS bases its forecast on satellite measurements of particles and chemical compounds in the atmosphere. Airmine’s services were developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team.
Why doesn’t the forecast always reflect wildfire impacts?
Airmine’s forecast uses CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) as its background atmospheric model. While CAMS includes wildfire emissions, these are derived from satellite observations and are not available in real time. During rapidly evolving wildfire events, there may therefore be a delay before increased emissions are incorporated into the model. As a result, the forecast may temporarily underestimate PM₂.₅ and other pollutants associated with wildfire smoke.
During rapidly evolving wildfire events, CAMS may lag by approximately 1–2 days before increased wildfire emissions are fully represented, which can lead to temporary underestimation of PM₂.₅ concentrations in Airmine’s forecast.
Want to see air quality forecasts for other cities in United States?
Check air quality in other popular cities:
Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 20 September 2026 at 14:33 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)
This forecast is produced independently using Airmine's own atmospheric data and models.
Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibility.
Disclaimer: Forecasts are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. Actual pollen and air quality conditions may vary from the forecast. If you have allergies, asthma, or another medical condition, consult a healthcare professional. Please see our Terms of Service for important information about limitations of liability.
Some text on this page may be generated or summarised using artificial intelligence (AI). Wherever possible, AI-generated content is enriched with Airmine's proprietary data to improve its accuracy and relevance. However, AI-generated content may still contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.
Get the full experience in the Airmine app.