FORECAST SUMMARY:
FORECAST SUMMARY: Thursday, July 22nd, 2021, through Monday, July 26th, 2021
Ozone: 8-hour average Ozone concentrations are expected to be Good to Low Moderate.
PM-2.5: 24-hour average Fine Particulate concentrations are expected to increase from Good to Mid-Moderate throughout the forecast period.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Recent forecasts have focused on the smoke transport into Michigan and how that is affecting Air Quality. Fortunately, the wind patterns gave a momentary respite starting Tuesday evening and lasting through Thursday. Unfortunately, the smoke and wildfire models are predicting the smoke will reenter the state during Friday. While that will give the state hazy skies, the high-altitude smoke will stay mostly aloft. Some will mix down, as seen earlier in the week, but our monitors should fare no worse than Moderate concentrations.
Currently, high pressure centered over SE Michigan is causing winds to shift back to a weak southerly direction. As that high-pressure cell slips eastward, we will see our weather evolve into a more active weekend. We are looking at a strong southwesterly flow, on Saturday, which will pump in high levels of moisture and the potential for convective activity.
A cold front is expected to drop down during Sunday and eliminate any threat from ozone. However, since atmospheric smoke is expected to linger through the weekend, the state will be kept at Moderate levels.
EXTENDED FORECAST
Air Quality is expected to be Good increasing to Moderate going into the weekend.
Forecast updated by Jim Haywood: Thursday, July 22nd, 2021