Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Ozone Action Days are in effect today for the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio areas. Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated lingering background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Unhealthy" range in the central region and on the east side of the Houston area; the upper end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range on the north side of the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range in the central region and on the west sides of the Austin and San Antonio areas; the middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, El Paso, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas; the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Big Bend area; and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Laredo and Victoria areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Elevated relative humidity levels and/or light daytime winds over the more populated areas for most of the state with the exception of far West Texas may contribute slightly towards raising urban PM2.5 levels. Additionally, new model guidance suggests that small and scattered burning activities across portions of Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas may produce very light density residual smoke plumes. Meanwhile, industrial activities in the Permian Basin might slightly contribute towards raising fine particulate matter in parts of the region as well. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, and San Antonio areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Midland-Odessa, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Light morning winds and lower morning vertical mixing heights, some light urban pollutant carryover from the previous days, in addition to gusty afternoon winds possibly kicking up some light density patchy dust, may raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas; the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Big Bend, Bryan-College Station, El Paso, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas; and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Laredo and Victoria areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Elevated relative humidity levels and/or light morning winds over the more populated areas for most of the state with the exception of the northern Texas Panhandle and far West Texas, combined with very light density residual smoke attributed to small and scattered burning activities across portions of Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas as well as industrial activities across portions of the Permian Basin, are expected to slightly raise PM2.5 levels. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Midland-Odessa, San Antonio, and Victoria areas.

Light morning winds and lower morning vertical mixing heights, limiting pollutant dispersion, may raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the El Paso area.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Big Bend, Bryan-College Station, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Elevated relative humidity levels and/or light morning winds over the more populated areas for most of the state with the exception of the northern Texas Panhandle and far West Texas, in addition to very light density residual smoke attributed to small and scattered burning activities across portions of Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas as well as industrial activities across portions of the Permian Basin, may slightly raise PM2.5 levels. Additionally, model guidance indicates that a light density plume of Saharan dust may arrive over deep South Texas, the Coastal Plains, and portions of Southeast Texas. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Tyler-Longview areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Laredo, Midland-Odessa, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate background levels over portions of far West Texas associated with light daytime winds and limited morning vertical mixing could raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

An Ozone Action Day will be in effect on Monday for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range on the north side of the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas; and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Big Bend, Bryan-College Station, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Should the small, scattered burning activities across portions of Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas as well as industrial activities across portions of the Permian Basin continue, light density residual smoke may continue to linger over portions of these regions. Meanwhile the light density plume of Saharan dust is forecast to continue expanding further inland and filter over the eastern two-thirds of the state, however the density of the plume is not expected to significantly increase fine particulate matter. Additionally, elevated relative humidity levels and/or light morning winds over the more populated areas for most of the state with the exception of far West Texas may contribute towards slightly raising fine particulate matter as well. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, and Tyler-Longview areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Midland-Odessa, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate background levels over portions of far West Texas associated with light daytime winds and limited morning vertical mixing could raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Big Bend, Bryan-College Station, Laredo, Lubbock, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Depending on the small, scattered burning activities across portions of Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas as well as industrial activities across portions of the Permian Basin continue, light density residual smoke may continue to linger over portions of these regions. Meanwhile the aforementioned light density plume of Saharan dust is forecast to weaken and disperse over the state. Additionally, elevated relative humidity levels and/or light morning winds over the more populated areas for most of the state may contribute towards slightly raising fine particulate matter as well. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston area and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Midland-Odessa, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate background levels over portions of far West Texas associated with light morning winds and limited morning vertical mixing could keep the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.