Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Warm temperatures, light winds, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or slightly elevated lingering background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, El Paso, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Small, scattered burning activities across parts of North Central, East, and Southeast Texas are expected to continue producing very light density residual smoke over parts of these regions. These aerosols may combine with urban fine particulate matter associated with light morning winds as well as moisture attributed to elevated relative humidity levels and could enhance fine particulate formation, slightly raising PM2.5 levels across portions of Texas, especially the more populated areas. While scattered rain showers are forecast to continue across portions of the state and should help washout some of these aerosols, the overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Tyler-Longview areas and is forecast to remain in the upper end of the "Good" range (perhaps with an isolated low "Moderate") in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Fine urban particulate levels owing to limited dispersion from light morning winds and limited morning vertical mixing over portions of far West Texas may be enough to 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.

Moderate winds, insufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or lower incoming background levels should be enough for ozone to stay in the "Good" range for most areas statewide.

Persistent scattered rain showers across much of the state are expected to help washout most of the possible lingering light density residual smoke attributed to small, scattered burning activities across parts of North Central, East, and Southeast Texas. Meanwhile, light morning winds over portions of North Central, South Central, Northeast, Southeast, and far West along with elevated relative humidity levels also over much of the state may continue to contribute towards fine particulate formation and raising PM2.5 levels, especially the more populated areas. Depending on the intensity of the scattered rain showers, the overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston and Tyler-Longview areas and remain in the upper end of the "Good" range (perhaps with an isolated low "Moderate") for the majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Laredo, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas. The daily PM10 AQI could reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area as well.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or slightly elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Elevated relative humidity levels and light morning winds across the eastern two-thirds of the state may promote fine particulate formation and slightly raise PM2.5 background levels, especially over the more populated areas. Meanwhile, depending on the amount of burning, industrial, and gas flaring activities across central and southern Mexico as well as the Bay of Campeche, light density remnant smoke and aerosols may spread along the southern coast of Mexico filter over portions of deep South Texas. While scattered showers are forecast to persist across most of the eastern two-thirds of the state, except for deep South Texas, and should help washout some of the aerosols, the overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Laredo, and Houston areas and the upper end of the "Good" range (perhaps with an isolated low "Moderate") in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Slightly elevated afternoon and evening winds across portions of far West Texas and the northern Mexico state of Chihuahua could generate and transport patchy blowing dust into and through parts of the region. The intensity and duration of the possible blowing dust may be enough to raise the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs to the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the region, which include the El Paso area.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or slightly elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Big Bend and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Amarillo, El Paso, and Lubbock areas.

Persistent elevated relative humidity levels and/or light morning winds across the eastern two-thirds of the state may continue to promote fine particulate formation and slightly raise PM2.5 background levels, especially over the more populated areas. Meanwhile, should burning, industrial, and gas flaring activities across central and southern Mexico as well as the Bay of Campeche continue, light density remnant smoke and aerosols may filter and expand along the southern coast of Mexico and over portions of deep South Texas and the Coastal Plains. Isolated showers may persist across parts of Central and Northeast Texas may help washout some of these aerosols. Overall, the 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, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas and the upper end of the "Good" range (perhaps with an isolated low "Moderate") in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, and Tyler-Longview areas.

Slightly gustier afternoon and evening winds than on Sunday across portions of far West Texas and the northern Mexico state of Chihuahua could continue to generate and transport patchy blowing dust into and through parts of the region. The gusty winds may also generate some patchy blowing dust through portions of the Texas Panhandle and South Plains as well. Depending on the intensity and duration of the possible blowing dust, these conditions may be enough to raise the daily PM10 AQI to the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range in parts of the El Paso area. The daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range (perhaps with an isolated low "Moderate") in parts of the Amarillo and Lubbock areas as well.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or slightly elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the El Paso area.

The elevated relative humidity levels and/or light morning winds are forecast to persist across the eastern two-thirds of the state and may continue to promote fine particulate formation, slightly raising PM2.5 background levels, especially over the more populated areas. Meanwhile, should the burning, industrial, and gas flaring activities across central and southern Mexico as well as the Bay of Campeche continue, the possible light density remnant smoke and aerosols may linger and expand over portions of deep South Texas, the Coastal Plains, and the lower Rio Grande Valley. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Possible lingering suspended blowing dust generated the previous day over far West Texas may slightly raise fine particulate matter across the region. Depending on the coverage and intensity of the possible suspended dust, the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQIs may reach the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.