Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Light winds, warm temperatures, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated lingering background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the upper end of the "Moderate" range (or possibly higher) in the central region to the west side of the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas; and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa areas.

Very light density residual smoke associated with wildfires in Central and Northern California as well as new ones in Idaho are filtering and expanding over the Texas Panhandle as well as parts of North Central Texas, Northeast Texas, and the South Plains. The majority of these fine particulates, however, are forecast to remain aloft. Meanwhile, small, scattered burning activities across Southeastern Texas and new ones across North Central and Northeast Texas are producing light density residual smoke and are expected to slightly elevate PM2.5 levels over these regions of the state. Also, small, scattered burning activities across the Mississippi River Valley region and Southeast CONUS are producing very light density residual smoke that may begin to filter over parts of North Central, Northeast, and East Texas. Additionally, light northerly daytime winds over parts of the more populated areas of the eastern two-thirds of the state could contribute towards slightly increasing urban fine particulate matter from continental haze and/or local sources as well. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, and Tyler-Longview 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 AQI to the lower end of the "Moderate" range and the daily PM10 AQI to the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the region, which includes the El Paso area.

An Ozone Action Day will be in effect on Wednesday for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Light winds, warm temperatures, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated lingering background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range in the Central region to the west side of the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Houston, and San Antonio areas; the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Tyler-Longview area; the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, El Paso, Laredo, and Waco-Killeen areas; and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, and Victoria areas.

Most of the very light density residual smoke associated with the wildfires in Central and Northern California as well as Idaho over the Texas Panhandle, North Central Texas, Northeast Texas, and the South Plains is forecast to linger over these regions and expected to continue remaining aloft. Meanwhile, small, scattered burning activities across Southeastern, North Central, and Northeast Texas are expected to continue to produce light density residual smoke and slightly elevate PM2.5 levels over these regions of the state as well as South Central Texas. Depending on small, scattered burning activities across the Mississippi River Valley region and Southeast CONUS, very light density residual smoke may continue to filter over parts of North Central, Northeast, and East Texas. Additionally, light northerly to easterly daytime winds over parts of the more populated areas of the eastern two-thirds of the state could contribute towards slightly increasing urban fine particulate matter from building continental haze and/or local sources as well. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, and Laredo areas.

Light daytime winds and lower morning vertical mixing heights, limiting pollutant dispersion, along with some light urban pollutant carryover from the previous days over portions of far West Texas may raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the region, which includes the El Paso area.

Light winds, warm temperatures, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated lingering background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas; and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Laredo, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Model guidance suggests the light density residual smoke attributed to the wildfires in Central and Northern California as well as Idaho lingering over the Texas Panhandle, North Central Texas, Northeast Texas, and the South Plains may begin to weaken and disperse. Should the small, scattered burning activities across Southeastern, North Central, and Northeast Texas continue, light density residual smoke may slightly elevate PM2.5 levels over these regions of the state as well as South Central Texas. Also, depending on small, scattered burning activities across the Mississippi River Valley region and Southeast CONUS, very light density residual smoke may continue filtering over parts of North Central, Northeast, and East Texas. Additionally, light northerly to easterly daytime winds over parts of the more populated areas of the eastern two-thirds of the state could contribute towards slightly increasing urban fine particulate matter from continental haze and/or local sources as well. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, and Laredo areas.

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

Model guidance suggests that most of the light density residual smoke attributed to the wildfires in Central and Northern California as well as Idaho possibly lingering over the Texas Panhandle, North Central Texas, Northeast Texas, and the South Plains may be completely dispersed. Meanwhile, should the small, scattered burning activities across Southeastern, North Central, and Northeast Texas as well as the Mississippi River Valley region and Southeast CONUS continue, light density residual smoke may slightly elevate PM2.5 levels over these regions of the state as well as South Central Texas. Additionally, light northerly to easterly daytime winds over parts of the more populated areas of the eastern two-thirds of the state could contribute towards slightly increasing urban fine particulate matter from continental haze and/or local sources as well. Overall, the daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Tyler-Longview areas and the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Austin, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio, and Waco-Killeen areas.

There is the possibility for pockets of low "Moderate" urban fine particulate PM2.5 levels across portions of far West Texas associated with light daytime winds and limited morning vertical mixing. The overall daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs however are forecast to net out in the upper end of the "Good" range for the majority of the region, which includes the El Paso area.