Air Monitoring Data & AQI

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

Issued: Thursday, July 2, 2020, 2:30 PM

Thursday, westerly to southwesterly winds will push Saharan dust across the southern portion of Louisiana, increasing particle concentrations. Thus, AQI levels will be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in Lake Charles and mid- to high-Moderate for the rest of the state. Friday and Independence Day, an upper-level trough approaching the Bayou State will increase mixing, which will aid dispersion of Saharan Dust. However, pollutant carryover from previous days, combined with increased emissions from holiday fireworks, will yield Moderate AQI levels statewide on both days.

Baton Rouge

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 28 - Good 37 - Good 46 - Good
PM25 89 - Moderate 68 - Moderate 68 - Moderate

Alexandria

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 32 - Good 37 - Good 43 - Good
PM25 89 - Moderate 78 - Moderate 59 - Moderate

Lake Charles

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 26 - Good 32 - Good 41 - Good
PM25 112 - Unhealthy for sensitive groups 84 - Moderate 68 - Moderate

Lafayette

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 28 - Good 37 - Good 44 - Good
PM25 99 - Moderate 78 - Moderate 66 - Moderate

Monroe

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 29 - Good 37 - Good 44 - Good
PM25 78 - Moderate 61 - Moderate 55 - Moderate

New Orleans

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 32 - Good 42 - Good 46 - Good
PM25 89 - Moderate 63 - Moderate 68 - Moderate

Shreveport

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 30 - Good 37 - Good 44 - Good
PM25 91 - Moderate 78 - Moderate 59 - Moderate

Thibodaux

 Thursday Friday Saturday
Ozone 25 - Good 34 - Good 43 - Good
PM25 89 - Moderate 68 - Moderate 61 - Moderate

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.