Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, El Paso, and Houston areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, San Antonio, and Tyler-Longview areas.

Southerly winds could push very light density smoke into the South and Southwest regions, but based on current conditions and model guidance, any noticeable effects should remain isolated to primarily the Rio Grande Valley. Meanwhile, slightly elevated urban fine particulate background levels over portions of Southeast and Far West Texas associated with light morning winds could periodically raise PM2.5 concentrations. The overall daily PM2.5 AQI may reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen and El Paso areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Corpus Christi, Houston, and Laredo areas.

Otherwise and elsewhere across the state, moderate winds, mild temperatures, and/or lower incoming background levels should help keep air quality in the "Good" range for most areas.

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

Weak low pressure in northwest Texas will keep southerly winds pumping large amounts of moisture into the eastern two thirds of the state as dew points in the 60s become widespread. Residual smoke/aerosols from the burning and industrial activity that will likely be ongoing in southern Mexico and Central America could continue its northward movement, however, models remain steadfast in predicting coverage will remain limited to South and possibly Southwest Texas. South, Southwest, and possibly the coastal bend will be the most likely regions to see any sustained elevation in PM2.5 concentrations as relative humidity will be maximized in these areas. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to net out in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, and Laredo areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Light to moderate winds, stable atmospheric conditions, and fine particulate carryover from the previous day in Far West Texas could push the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQI into the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area.

Otherwise and elsewhere across the state, moderate winds, mild temperatures, and/or lower incoming background levels should help keep air quality in the "Good" range for most areas.

Light winds, warm temperatures, sufficient 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 El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Houston area.

Increasing winds across much of the state will continue to pump moisture out of the Gulf of Mexico as higher density smoke advects out of Mexico, possibly reaching the North Central region by the early afternoon hours as smoke and aerosols spread farther west. Meanwhile, breezy to gusty winds during the afternoon and evening hours in New Mexico and west Texas could kick up of areas of patchy blowing dust, but the density and duration are not expected to sustain elevated PM2.5 concentrations for an extended period. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to top out in the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, and Laredo areas, the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bryan-College Station, El Paso, Houston, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas, and the upper end of the "Good" range in most of the Big Bend, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, and Tyler-Longview areas. The daily PM10 AQI could reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area as well.

Otherwise and elsewhere across the state, moderate to strong winds, scattered cloud cover, and/or lower incoming background levels should help keep air quality in the "Good" range for most areas.

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

A relatively strong cold front will move into the western third of the state by Friday morning as gusty winds persist during the afternoon and evening hours in central/eastern New Mexico as well as the Panhandle, Permian Basin, and Far West regions. Suspended dust kicked up the previous day combined with additional areas of patchy blowing dust could result in periods of elevated fine particulate matter across the aforementioned regions. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Amarillo, Big Bend, Lubbock, and Midland-Odessa areas. The daily PM10 AQI could reach the lower to middle end of the "Moderate" range as well.

Light to moderate density smoke and/or aerosols are forecast to spread across most of the eastern two thirds of Texas as seasonal burnings and industrial activity rages on in southern Mexico, Central America, and the Bay of Campeche. With copious amounts of moisture expected across most of the areas affected by smoke, elevated fine particulate matter concentrations are likely to become widespread. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to reach the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, and Laredo areas, the middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston area, the middle of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, San Antonio, and Victoria areas, and the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Otherwise across the Big Bend regions, moderate to strong winds, mild temperatures, and/or lower incoming background levels should help keep air quality in the "Good" range for most areas.