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.

Elevated morning relative humidity levels across the eastern two-thirds of the state are expected to promote fine particulate formation especially over the more populated areas of these regions ahead of a cold front that is moving through the southern Texas Panhandle and will move through North Central Texas and portions of Central Texas by this evening. Scattered precipitation across South Central, North Central, East, and Southeast Texas and increasingly breezy north and westerly winds behind the frontal boundary will help wash out some of the fine particulates and aid with pollutant dispersion. Meanwhile, industrial and gas flaring activities along with widespread burning activities across central and southern Mexico are expected to continue producing aerosols as well as light density smoke; affecting portions of deep South Texas. 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, Houston, Laredo, and Victoria 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, and Waco-Killeen areas. The daily PM10 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Corpus Christi and Houston areas as well.

Light morning winds and a wind shift promoting re-circulation across 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 region, which includes the El Paso area. Meanwhile, very windy conditions across the Texas Panhandle, South Plains, and Permian Basin associated with the passing of the aforementioned cold front is expected to kick up patchy blowing dust. While fine particulates may spike into the "Moderate" or possibly "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range at times, the coverage and intensity of the suspended dust may be enough to raise the daily PM2.5 AQI to the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Lubbock area and net out in the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo and Midland-Odessa areas.

Light winds, warm temperatures, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Following the passing of the aforementioned cold front, slightly elevated fine particulate matter combined with light lingering moisture across portions of deep South Texas and areas immediately along the coastline may keep urban aerosols slightly elevated during the early morning hours, however breezy, northerly winds along with a drier airmass are expected to keep these fine particulates to a minimum. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to remain in the "Good" range for the majority of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and Victoria areas.

Light daytime winds could sustain slightly elevated urban fine particulate matter across portions of far West Texas at times, however the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs are forecast to remain in the upper end of the "Good" range for a majority of the region, which includes the El Paso area.

Light winds, warm temperatures, abundant 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 Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, El Paso, Laredo, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Light morning winds and an overnight temperature inversion associated with a building area of high-pressure aloft may limit atmospheric mixing and dispersion at the surface across the more urban regions of the state, slightly enhancing fine particulate pollution. Meanwhile, depending on the amount of controlled burning activities, mainly across portions of North Central Texas, East Texas, Southeast Texas, and the Coastal Plains, light density residual smoke may be produced and filter over parts of these regions. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to rise to the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso and Houston areas and remain in the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, 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 El Paso area as well.

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 Austin, Houston, and San Antonio areas; the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, Midland-Odessa, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas; and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Laredo, Lubbock, and Victoria areas, with the highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Light morning winds may again limit atmospheric mixing and dispersion at the surface across the more urban regions of the state and depending on the amount of controlled burning activities, mainly across portions of North Central Texas, East Texas, Southeast Texas, and the Coastal Plains, light density residual smoke may continue to be produced and filter over parts of these regions. Meanwhile, should the industrial and gas flaring activities along with burning activities across central and southern Mexico continue, light density smoke may filter back northward and expand over portions of deep South Texas. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, and Tyler-Longview areas and remain in the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Slightly elevated afternoon and evening winds could generate and transport light density patchy blowing dust through portions of far West Texas. The intensity and duration of the possible blowing dust may be enough to raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the middle of the "Moderate" range through portions of the region, which includes the El Paso area.