Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Moderate afternoon winds and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough to keep ozone levels in the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, Midland-Odessa, San Antonio, and Waco-Killeen areas.

A cold front is moving through the Texas Panhandle this morning but will gradually diffuse as southerly winds ahead of it advect warm, moist air out of the Gulf. Burnings across Central Mexico as well as parts of Louisiana, East and Southeast Texas are producing light density residual smoke and has been filtering and lingering over portions of these regions of Texas, and could slightly elevate fine particulate background levels. The higher relative humidity in South Texas as well as along the coast could make conditions more conducive for fine particulate formation and occasionally spike PM2.5 levels into the "Moderate" range but increasing afternoon wind speeds will likely provide sufficient pollutant dispersion for most areas. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Houston, and San Antonio areas and the upper end of the "Good" range (possibly with an isolated low "Moderate") for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Laredo, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Gusty morning winds behind the aforementioned cold front could continue producing areas of patchy blowing dust across far West Texas in addition to any lingering dust kicked up the previous day. Additionally, with wind speeds expected to decrease during the afternoon and evening hours, fine particulate concentrations are anticipated to remain elevated due to lighter winds and limited vertical mixing. Overall, the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs may net out in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Moderate afternoon winds and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough to keep ozone levels in the "Good" range for the majority of the Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston areas.

Depending on the isolated wildfire activities across parts of Central Mexico as well as Louisiana, East and Southeast Texas, light density residual smoke may continue filtering and lingering over small portions of these regions of Texas and slightly elevate fine particulate background levels. Moisture advection will continue as southerly winds persist in the eastern two thirds of Texas and could promote fine particulate formation, but increased vertical mixing due to an incoming trough could temper overall fine particulate concentrations. Lighter winds in Central, North Central, and Northeast Texas could increase urban fine particulates, but the effects will likely remain limited and not sustain elevated PM2.5 levels throughout the entire day. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen area and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Light morning winds and pollutant carryover from the previous day in far West Texas could sustain elevated fine particulate matter, but the incoming trough will increase vertical mixing and dispersion. Overall, the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs may net out in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Moderate afternoon winds and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough to keep ozone levels in the "Good" range for the majority of the state.

Depending on burning and industrial activity in Central Mexico and the Lower Mississippi Valley, light density residual smoke could affect portions of South Texas as well as along the coastal areas of Texas. Meanwhile, light winds in East Texas combined with high relative humidity could slightly elevate urban fine particulate matter during the morning hours. PM2.5 levels could spike into the "Moderate" range at times across the aforementioned regions but an incoming upper-level trough is forecast to increase vertical mixing as well as chances for precipitation, keeping fine particulate concentrations tempered for the afternoon and evening hours. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Laredo 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, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Light winds and pollutant carryover from the previous day could slightly elevate urban fine particulate matter at times in far West Texas, but vertical mixing and a chance for precipitation are forecast to decrease the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the El Paso area.

Moderate winds, precipitation, and/or lower incoming background levels are forecast to be enough to keep ozone levels in the "Good" range for the majority of the state.

Light density smoke could linger across the southern most parts of Texas as burning activity continues in Central Mexico, occasionally resulting in slightly increased fine particulate matter during the morning hours. However, as the upper-level trough continues to approach, the coverage and intensity of showers and thunderstorms will spread through most of the state, dispersing any lingering fine particulate matter. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to remain firmly in the "Good" range for most of the state.

Light to moderate winds could slightly elevate urban fine particulate matter in far West Texas but the overall 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.