[ADEQ Forecasts] ADEQ Daily Air Quality Forecast for Saturday, August 15, 2009

[forecasts@lists.azdeq.gov]

For more information, please visit our Web page:
http://www.azdeq.gov/ensemble.pdf

For transportation alternatives:
http://www.valleymetro.org


Health message for Friday, August 14: No significant winds are expected.

Health message for Saturday, August 15: No significant winds are expected.


Synopsis and Discussion
The large trough of low pressure over the western U.S. has begun to squash the Four Corners high pressure system to the south and east.  Dry air from the northwest will spill across much of Arizona this weekend, dropping surface dew points into the 20s and 30s across the deserts on Sunday, and even lower in northern Arizona.  As a result, sunny skies and relatively light winds will dominate the forecast across the region this weekend with no rain in sight.  

The beneficial rains here in the Phoenix forecast area Wednesday through early this morning (yes, some parts of the northwest Valley had a rouge thunderstorm move through around 2:30 am) have cleared the air of several weeks-worth of accumulating pollution.  PM-10 and PM-2.5 dropped into the mid part of the "Good" range while some late evening sloshing of ozone caused a couple of west Valley sites (Buckeye and Dysart) to have a secondary spike in concentrations, leading to and 8-hr concentration in the low "Moderate" range (54 AQI).

You can expect to see all pollutants in the "Good" range through at least Sunday, with ozone possibly increasing to the lower "Moderate" range by Monday.  High pressure will rebound by the middle of next week, bringing back the chance for desert rains by Thursday and Friday of next week.  

Check back on Sunday for a look at the coming work-week.  Until then, have a great weekend!

If you have any questions or comments regarding this forecast please contact:

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Communications
1110 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 771-2215
ms15@azdeq.gov

 
 

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