Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

An Ozone Action Day is in effect today for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Warm to hot temperatures, light winds, abundant 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 and east sides of the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area; the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Tyler-Longview area; and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

A large majority of a plume of Saharan dust over the state is beginning to weaken and disperse with mostly light densities lingering over Texas. Meanwhile, very little to none of the light density residual smoke attributed to the wildfires in California, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico is forecast to remain over far West Texas, the Texas Panhandle, the South Plains, and the Permian Basin. Any residual smoke that does filter over Texas will remain aloft. Also, burning activities along the northern Yucatan Peninsula are producing light density residual smoke that is being steered northward towards the southern tip of Texas and may filter over small portions of deep South Texas, however the density of these aerosols are not expected to increase surface fine particulate matter much. Additionally, an area of low-pressure that is over southern Louisiana is producing showers and thunderstorms over Southeast Texas that will help wash out fine particulate matter for portions of this region. Light daytime winds primarily over South Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas and slightly elevated relative humidity levels over deep South Texas as well as along the southern coastal bend of Texas may also contribute slightly towards raising urban fine particulate levels over these portions of the state too. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Tyler-Longview 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, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas. The daily PM10 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston area as well.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate levels associated with light daytime winds may be enough to raise the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Warm to hot temperatures, light winds, abundant 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 El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Very little amounts of the aforementioned plume of Saharan dust are expected to remain over the state as the aerosols continue to weaken and disperse. Meanwhile, depending on the wildfire activities across northwestern and central Canada, light density residual smoke may begin to filter from the East and expand over portions of Southeast, East, and North Central Texas, however the density of the aerosols are not expected to impact surface concentrations much and should remain mostly aloft. Depending on the burning activities along the northern Yucatan Peninsula, light density residual smoke may continue being steered northward towards the southern tip of Texas and may filter over small portions of deep South Texas, however the density of these aerosols are not expected to increase surface fine particulate matter much too. Additionally, very small seasonal fires across parts of South Central Texas, North Central Texas, and along the northern coastal bend of Texas may produce light amounts of residual smoke as well, however the density and coverage of the aerosols are not expected to impact surface concentrations much. The area of low-pressure over Louisiana is forecast to continue producing showers and thunderstorms over Southeast Texas, helping to wash out fine particulate matter for portions of this region of the state. Additionally, light morning winds over South Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas and slightly elevated relative humidity levels over deep South Texas and along the southern coastal bend of Texas may continue to contribute slightly towards raising urban fine particulate levels over these portions of the state too. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, and Laredo areas. The daily PM10 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston area as well.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate levels associated with light daytime winds may be enough to keep the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Warm to hot temperatures, light winds, 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 El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Very little amounts of the potential very light density residual smoke from the wildfire activities across northwestern and central Canada is expected to continue filtering and lingering over portions of Southeast, East, and North Central Texas. The density of these aerosols are again not expected to impact surface concentrations much and should remain mostly aloft. Additionally, depending on the potential burning activities of small seasonal fires across parts of South Central Texas, North Central Texas, and along the northern coastal bend of Texas, these may continue to produce light amounts of residual smoke, however the density and coverage of the aerosols are not expected to impact surface concentrations much either. Should the burning activities along the northern Yucatan Peninsula continue, light density residual smoke may continue expanding northwards and filter over small portions of deep South Texas, however the density of these aerosols are not expected to increase surface fine particulate matter much. Model guidance suggests that the leading edge of another plume of Saharan dust may arrive over deep South Texas as well as along the southern coastal bend of Texas and the lower Rio Grande Valley, and these aerosols may slightly raise fine particulate matter as it filters over these regions of the state. Also, slightly elevated relative humidity levels over deep South Texas and along the southern coastal bend of Texas along with light morning winds over portions of South Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas may contribute slightly towards raising urban fine particulate levels over these portions of the state too. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, and Victoria areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Waco-Killeen areas. The daily PM10 AQI may reach the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen area as well.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate levels associated with light daytime winds may be enough to keep the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Warm to hot temperatures, light winds, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Depending on the density and coverage of the plume of Saharan dust, model guidance suggests that light to moderate amounts may filter and expand over the eastern two-thirds of the state, with the more moderate densities over deep South Texas, South Central Texas, and along the southern coastal bend of Texas. Meanwhile, depending on the potential burning activities of small seasonal fires across parts of South Central Texas, North Central Texas, and along the northern coastal bend of Texas, light amounts of residual smoke may continue to linger over small portions of these regions, however the density and coverage of the aerosols are not expected to impact surface concentrations much. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio, and Victoria areas and the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas. The daily PM10 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and San Antonio areas as well.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate levels associated with light daytime winds may be enough to keep the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Warm to hot temperatures, light winds, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Model guidance suggests the plume of Saharan dust may continue to linger over the eastern two-thirds of the state, with the more moderate densities over North Central and Northeast Texas with decreasing concentrations along the coastal regions. Meanwhile, should the burning activities of small seasonal fires across parts of South Central Texas, North Central Texas, and along the northern coastal bend of Texas continue, light amounts of residual smoke may linger over small portions of these regions, however the density and coverage of the aerosols are not expected to impact surface concentrations much. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas. The daily PM10 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Austin, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and San Antonio areas as well.

Slightly elevated urban fine particulate levels associated with light daytime winds may be enough to keep the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs at the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.