8/24/2020 Forecast Update
FORECAST SUMMARY: Monday, August 24th, 2020 through Tuesday, August 25th, 2020
OZONE: 8-Hour average Ozone concentrations will be a mix of Good and Moderate through Tuesday. PM-2.5: 24-hour average Fine Particulate concentrations will be mostly Good to Low Moderate.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Summer is not quite ready to give up its influence over the Midwest. During the weekend, our New Haven monitor, northeast of Detroit, had peak 8-hour average concentrations just above the 70 ppb threshold on both Friday and Saturday. Southwest winds, hot temperatures and plentiful sun was enough to push it over despite the lateness of the ozone season.
This week is also showing a possibility of continued high ozone around the state. Monday and Tuesday are not high risk days, Wednesday and Thursday are raising some concerns. Coupled with high temperatures and plentiful sun, there is thick atmospheric smoke from the west coast fires moving eastward across the continent. Earlier in the year, we were caught by surprise when we had high ozone without the usual precursors. Smoke in the atmosphere provided many of the pollutants necessary for the photochemical process which triggered that occurrence.
With that knowledge and the triple threat of sun, temperature and smoke, a forecast update, tomorrow, will be warranted for the mid-week.
EXTENDED FORECAST:
Air Quality should be Good to Moderate with a potential for USG, going into mid-week.