FORECAST SUMMARY:
Friday, August 7th, 2020 through Monday, August 10th, 2020
OZONE: 8-Hour average Ozone concentrations will be mostly Moderate through the weekend period with a slight chance of isolated USG during Saturday and Monday. PM-2.5: 24-hour average Fine Particulate concentrations will be mostly Good.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
The weekend weather will be a return to more typical summer weather with temperatures rising back into the upper 80’s with increasing humidity. With this shift, Air Quality will likely begin slowly degrading. The question will be if we could reach the USG levels.
The past two weeks have yielded Good Air Quality. As the current high pressure system moves off to the east during Friday, winds will begin a shift to the south and southwest. With that shift, air pollutants from Illinois and Indiana will drift over Lake Michigan and can impact the lake shores. Current ozone models are keeping the highest concentrations over the lake and more towards the Wisconsin shore.
The Saturday forecast is pretty straight-forward with a mix of Good and Moderate. Sunday and Monday have increasing temperatures and humidity, but chances also increase for shower activity as a short-wave of low pressure passes through Sunday morning with a stronger front projected to pass Monday night.
With the potential clouds and shower activity, ozone production should be reduced enough to ward off any widespread USG. As such, I anticipate this forecast should be sufficient to get us through Monday morning. However, if conditions do deteriorate enough, we will update this weekend forecast, as necessary.
EXTENDED FORECAST:
Air Quality should be a mix of Good and Moderate going into next week.
Forecast updated by Jim Haywood: Friday, August 7th, 2020
Next forecast update: Monday, August 10th, 2020