Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Warm to hot temperatures, light winds, sufficient 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 Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso and Midland-Odessa areas and the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, and Lubbock areas.

Southerly winds will continue across most of Texas except for the Big Bend Region and Far West Texas, as moisture advection out of the Gulf keeps elevated relative humidity levels ubiquitous. Widespread seasonal fire activity, volcanic emissions, and industrial sources across southern Mexico are producing an area light residual smoke and industrial aerosols that is expected to be transported into deep South Texas, along the lower Rio Grande Valley, and portions of the Southeast Texas coast. While the combination of moisture and smoke likely result in elevated fine particulate matter concentrations, some scattered precipitation could temper fine particulate levels along the Southeast coast. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may still reach the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen and Corpus Christi areas, the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, and Victoria areas and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Big Bend, Bryan-College Station, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Very light smoke emanating from wildfires in Western New Mexico could be transported into portions of Far West Texas as west/northwesterly winds prevail, and when combined with light surface winds could push the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs in the lower to middle 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 upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso and Midland-Odessa areas and the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Lubbock areas.

Southerly winds will continue across most of Texas except for Far West Texas as moisture advection out of the Gulf keeps relative humidity levels elevated. Depending on the widespread seasonal fire activity, volcanic emissions, and industrial sources throughout central and southern Mexico, light amounts of residual smoke and industrial aerosols are forecast to continue being transported into the deep South, South Central, and Southeast regions. A few scattered showers and thunderstorms will remain possible across the northern portions of Texas, but precipitation probabilities will decrease and likely have minimal effects on dispersion. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may still 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, and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Light winds and pollutant carryover from the previous day in Far West Texas, in addition to very light smoke from the wildfires in Western New Mexico, are forecast to keep the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs in the lower to middle 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 middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area and the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Similar conditions are expected across the state as southerly winds continue to prevail, transporting copious amounts of moisture north and westward out of the Gulf. Meanwhile, depending on the seasonal fire activity, gas flaring, and industrial sources throughout Central and Southern Mexico, light smoke and aerosols could continue affecting the deep South, South Central, and Southeast regions. Additionally, an increased presence of urban fine particulate matter will also be possible in Central, North Central, and East Texas owing to limited dispersion due to light surface winds. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may still 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, and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas..

Light winds and a wind shift promoting re-circulation in Far West Texas could maintain the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs in 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 middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area, the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth and Midland-Odessa areas, the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, and Lubbock areas, and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Houston, and San Antonio areas.

Stagnant low pressure in the Central Plains will sustain southerly winds throughout most of the state, except for Far West Texas. Depending on the seasonal fire activity, gas flaring, and industrial sources throughout Central and Southern Mexico, light smoke and aerosols could be transported farther north and westward into the eastern two thirds of Texas. Additionally, light to moderate surface winds increasing the presence of urban fine particulate matter combined with elevated relative humidity could keep PM2.5 concentrations elevated throughout the affected areas. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI could stay in 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, and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Limited dispersion owing to light morning winds and stable morning atmospheric conditions in Far West Texas could keep the daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs in 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 middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area, the lower to middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth and Midland-Odessa areas, the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Amarillo, Big Bend, and Lubbock areas, and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Austin, Houston, and San Antonio areas.

Depending on the seasonal fire activity, gas flaring, and industrial sources throughout Central and Southern Mexico, light smoke and aerosols could maintain their presence into the eastern two thirds of Texas as low pressure remains stationary in the Central Plains. Light morning winds will give way to slightly increased afternoon and evening winds so better dispersion will be possible; however, elevated fine particulate concentrations are once again expected as moisture continues being pumped out of the Gulf. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI could stay in 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, and should stay in the "Good" range for the majority of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas.

Slightly elevated surface winds in Far West Texas could increase pollutant dispersion but the overall daily PM2.5 and PM10 AQIs are forecast to remain in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.