Skip to Content
Questions or Comments: monops@tceq.texas.gov

Today's Texas Air Quality Forecast

The latest forecast for air quality conditions in Texas' metropolitan areas.

Envelope icon for e-mail sign up Sign up for email updates

March 27, 2024

Forecast is for Ozone, PM2.5, & PM10, and is based on EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI)

Forecast Region
(Click name for AIRNOW version)
Wed
03/27/2024
Thu
03/28/2024
Fri
03/29/2024
Sat
03/30/2024
Amarillo Good Good Good Good
Austin Good Ozone Good PM2.5
Beaumont-Port Arthur Good Ozone Good PM2.5
Big Bend Good Good Good Good
Brownsville-McAllen PM2.5 Ozone PM2.5 PM2.5
Bryan-College Station Good Good Good PM2.5
Corpus Christi Good Ozone PM2.5 PM2.5
Dallas-Fort Worth Good Ozone Good PM2.5
El Paso Good Good PM2.5/PM10 PM2.5/PM10
Houston Ozone Ozone* Ozone/PM2.5 Ozone/PM2.5
Laredo Good Good PM2.5 PM2.5
Lubbock Good Good Good Good
Midland-Odessa Good Good Good Good
San Antonio Good Ozone Good PM2.5
Tyler-Longview Good Good Ozone Ozone/PM2.5
Victoria Good Good Good PM2.5
Waco-Killeen Good Ozone Good PM2.5
An asterisk (*) indicates that an Ozone Action Day is or will be in effect for the indicated region.
A caret (^) indicates that levels of PM may exceed the applicable short-term NAAQS. For more information see the following TCEQ websites:Air Pollution from Particulate Matter and Voluntary Tips for Citizens and Business to Reduce Emissions.

Forecast Discussion

Light winds, 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 Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas.

A surface trough will move into the Central Plains as an attendant surface boundary extending northwest to southeast across the state slowly undulates throughout the day. Widespread agricultural burning activity across Oklahoma and far north Texas has led to the production of numerous light to moderate density smoke emissions this morning. The majority of the smoke was seen moving southward to southeastward. An expansive area of mixed aerosol, comprised of mainly smoke from agricultural burning throughout Mexico and Central America with some aerosol from gas flaring in the Bay of Campeche and perhaps pollution from industrial sources and a tiny amount of dust, was seen blanketing an area including northern South America, Central America, the Gulf of Mexico, the entirety of the Gulf Coast. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to net out in the lower to middle end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen area and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Austin, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, and Victoria areas.

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

An Ozone Action Day will be in effect Thursday for the Houston-Galveston area. Light winds, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" range on the north side and central part of the Houston area, the lower to middle end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Waco-Killeen areas, and the upper end of the "Good" range in a majority of the Bryan-College Station, Laredo and Tyler-Longview areas.

Southerly winds will slowly return in the afternoon hours as high pressure moves into the Mississippi Valley. Moisture transport will remain slow into the eastern half of Texas with the highest relative humidity values expected along the coastal regions. Lighter winds in the East, Southeast, Central, and North Central regions could contribute toward elevated urban fine particulate matter but is not anticipated to be sustained. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to net out in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston area and the upper end of the "Good" range in most of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen 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, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the middle to upper end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston area, the lower to middle end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Tyler-Longview area, and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Waco-Killeen areas.

Deepening low pressure in the Central Plains will increase southerly wind speeds across most of Texas as a dryline sharpens in the western third. Depending on burning activity in southern Mexico, light smoke and aerosols could begin to encroach on the southern and coastal parts of the state. Model guidance suggests moisture transport will remain tempered, and combined with breezy winds should keep pollutant build up tempered in most 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, Bryan-College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Gusty winds are forecast to develop in New Mexico and western Texas during the afternoon and evening hours, increasing the possibility for patchy blowing dust in Far West Texas, Permian Basin, and southern Panhandle. The density and duration are not expected to sustain elevated PM concentrations but occasional spikes into the "Moderate" range or higher will be possible. The daily PM2.5/PM10 AQI is forecast to increase into the lower to middle end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the El Paso area and the upper end of the "Good" range in most of the Lubbock and Midland-Odessa areas.

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

Light winds, abundant afternoon sunshine, and/or elevated incoming background levels could be enough for ozone to reach the lower to middle end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Houston and Tyler-Longview areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Waco-Killeen areas.

Depending on the burning activity in Mexico and Central America, residual smoke could increase in coverage across the eastern two thirds of Texas due to persistent moderate southerly winds. Additionally, higher relative humidity will create an environment more conducive for fine particulate formation particularly when juxtaposed with smoke and/or aerosols. The daily PM2.5 AQI is forecast to net out in the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Austin, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-McAllen, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview, Victoria, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Lingering suspended dust kicked up from the previous day as well as additional areas of patchy blowing dust in Far West Texas due to sporadic gusty conditions could maintain the daily PM2.5/PM10 AQI in 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.

This forecast was last updated at 2:10 PM on Wednesday, March 27th and is updated daily on normal TCEQ workdays and may also be updated on weekends or holidays when air pollution levels are high. Regardless of our forecast, we always recommend that each individual determine what level of activity they should conduct based on the actual local conditions. See the "Related Current Data" links below to monitor the latest actual conditions.

Envelope icon for e-mail sign up Sign up for email updates

Related Items