Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Insufficient afternoon sunshine, gusty winds, and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough for ozone to stay in the "Good" range for the majority of areas statewide.

Southerly winds will continue to advect higher relative humidity farther northward as weak low pressure sits in the Central Plains today. Smoke from widespread fire activity, remnant smoke from previous days, and aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other industrial activities in central and southern Mexico concentrated into a layer of light density smoke that has extended into deep South Texas and could spread into portions of the Southeast region and coastal bend of Texas. Additionally, light winds this morning could slightly elevate urban fine particulate matter in the more populated areas. That said, mid-level disturbances lifting out of the Southwest CONUS will keep vertical mixing and scattered precipitation possible in most areas, limiting the effects on fine particulate concentrations. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may remain at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, and Victoria areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, Midland-Odessa, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Light morning and afternoon winds in far West Texas could keep urban fine particulate matter slightly elevated with the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs netting out in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the region, which includes the city of El Paso.

Insufficient afternoon sunshine, gusty winds, and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough for ozone to stay in the "Good" range for the majority of areas statewide.

High relative humidity will continue affecting the eastern two thirds of Texas on Tuesday due to southerly winds transporting moisture out of the Gulf. Depending on the industrial activity and gas flaring in central and southern Mexico, light density smoke and aerosols could affect portions of the South and coastal regions of Texas while combining with elevated relative humidity. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may remain at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and Laredo areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Gusty winds behind a cold front in the western third of Texas could potentially produce patchy blowing dust across portions of the Panhandle, Permian Basin, and far West regions of Texas, however the timing of the boundary could hold the dust off until the evening hours with the daily PM2.5 AQI possibly reaching the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Lubbock and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Amarillo and El Paso areas.

Insufficient afternoon sunshine, gusty winds, and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough for ozone to stay in the "Good" range for the majority of areas statewide.

Depending on the burning and industrial activity that has been present the last several days in central and southern Mexico, light density smoke and aerosols could affect portions of primarily deep South Texas during the morning and early afternoon hours. However, an eastward moving cold front will facilitate widespread precipitation that will spread through most regions through the afternoon and evening hours. Additionally, increasingly breezy north and westerly winds behind the boundary will also aid with pollutant dispersion. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may remain at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and Laredo areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Light morning winds and a large wind shift promoting re-circulation in far West Texas could slightly increase urban fine particulate matter, but the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs are forecast to net out in the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the El Paso area. Gustier winds in the South Plains and Permian Basin could kick up patchy blowing dust at times, but recent precipitation and slightly elevated relative humidity are expected to keep any effects relatively minor. The daily PM2.5 AQI could reach the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Amarillo, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Cool temperatures, gusty winds, and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough for ozone to stay in the "Good" range for the majority of areas statewide.

Slightly elevated fine particulate matter combined with lingering moisture in portions of the deep South and coastal regions of Texas could keep fine particulate matter slightly elevated during the early morning hours, but breezy, northerly winds will import drier, cleaner air into most regions. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI could reach the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and Laredo areas.

Light afternoon and evening winds could sustain slightly elevated urban fine particulate matter in far West Texas, however the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs are forecast to remain in the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the El Paso area.