Air Monitoring Data & AQI

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Ozone and PM2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast

Issued: Thursday, January 29, 2026, 2:30 PM

Thursday, in addition to smoke from scattered agricultural fires, pollutant carryover from light winds and a morning inversion will contribute to particle levels. Therefore, despite increasing southerly winds aiding dispersion during the day, AQI levels will be high-Good to low-Moderate. Friday, as a cold front moves across the Bayou State, moderate north-northwesterly winds will aid dispersion. However, these winds will also carry regional smoke into Louisiana throughout the day, allowing AQI levels to remain high-Good to low-Moderate. Saturday, a deep trough of low pressure aloft will aid atmospheric mixing over the region. In addition, gusty northerly winds will transport a clean air mass into the Deep South, leading to Good AQI levels statewide.

Baton Rouge

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 44 - Good 38 - Good 33 - Good
PM25 62 - Moderate 58 - Moderate 33 - Good

Alexandria

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 40 - Good 37 - Good 29 - Good
PM25 55 - Moderate 55 - Moderate 28 - Good

Lake Charles

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 45 - Good 39 - Good 31 - Good
PM25 55 - Moderate 62 - Moderate 28 - Good

Lafayette

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 42 - Good 38 - Good 32 - Good
PM25 44 - Good 39 - Good 22 - Good

Monroe

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 40 - Good 33 - Good 28 - Good
PM25 56 - Moderate 58 - Moderate 22 - Good

New Orleans

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 43 - Good 40 - Good 33 - Good
PM25 58 - Moderate 56 - Moderate 33 - Good

Shreveport

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 44 - Good 35 - Good 29 - Good
PM25 60 - Moderate 58 - Moderate 28 - Good

Thibodaux

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 42 - Good 38 - Good 32 - Good
PM25 53 - Moderate 53 - Moderate 28 - Good

More Information About Understanding AQI Information

The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or unhealthy your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern. The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing unhealthy air. The following chart provides information regarding the AQI determinations:

Category AQI Value What This Means
Good 0-50 Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Moderate 51-100 Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101-150 Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
Unhealthy 151-200 Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
Very Unhealthy 201-300 Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.
Hazardous 301-500 Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects.

Any questions about interpreting this monitoring data should be directed to the DEQ Customer Services Section at 1-866-896-5337.

TO REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, INCLUDING ODORS, CONTACT THE DEQ SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT (SPOC) - 225-219-3640 or Toll Free 1-888-763-5424. In the event of an environmental emergency, citizens are encouraged to first contact their local authorities - police, sheriff, fire department, etc. Otherwise citizens and the regulated community can contact the SPOC line to report environmental concerns during business hours, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at the number listed above. To report a concern outside of business hours call 225-342-1234 or the toll free number. Concerns include spills, releases, odors, fish kills, open burning, waste tires and any other types of environmental incidents. Citizens can report the incident online.

The data has not been quality reviewed or validated. Continuous PM2.5 readings shown are not NAAQS comparable.