12/03/2018 Forecast Update
FORECAST SUMMARY:
Monday, December 3rd, 2018 through Monday, December 10th, 2018
PM-2.5: 24-hour Fine Particulate concentrations will be generally Good to Low Moderate.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
A slight warming trend, during the weekend, melted most of the snow pack associated with the storm experienced early last week. Warming air over a snow pack has the tendency to spurn particulate growth in the atmosphere and we saw that trend develop, especially during last Friday. In the Detroit area, we saw hourly spikes of PM-2.5 causing the 24-hour average to settle around the 35 ug/m3 threshold between Moderate and USG. Fortunately, that was a short-lived episode and early week readings are back into the Good category.
I anticipate this week’s forecast to yield mostly Good readings. A weak front will pass through Michigan on Monday followed by northerly winds. A period of calm weather should persist until Thursday when the next weak front is projected to pass. There are no indications that Air Quality should exceed the Good to Low Moderate range
High pressure and rare sunny skies should prevail during the weekend. Air Quality should be generally Good but light winds may allow some stagnation into the Low Moderate range.
EXTENDED FORECAST:
Air Quality is expected to remain mostly Good going into the next work week.