[ADEQ Forecasts] ADEQ Daily Air Quality Forecast - Thursday, October 29, 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 Wednesday October 28: Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.

Health message for Thursday October 29: Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.


Synopsis and Discussion
Strong but relatively dry trough and frontal passage brought strong winds over all of AZ on Tuesday along with an unseasonably cold air mass that has since settled over the area.  Blowing, transported, and suspended dust were all present over the entire metro area by 4:00 p.m. accompanied by winds gusts of up to 45 mph and visibilities as low as 1/2 mile. This resulted in five local PM-10 (coarse particle) monitoring site exceedances and hourly PM-10 concentrations that included 1,017.5ug/m3 at Higley, 1,342.9ug/m3 at West Chandler, and 1,576.2ug/m3 at West Forty Third.  Even so, since residual dust levels are not nearly as high as expected, the PM-10 Health Watch issued earlier for today has been cancelled. Even though the large and deep upper level trough will be slow to move east, afternoon highs in the lower 80's are predicted as early as Saturday.  The significant warming aloft (23-29 deg F in the 5-10K' layer) that is advertised to occur between Thursday morning and Saturday afternoon will probably set the stage for a rather stagnant air mass over the Valley, and highest particle pollutant levels may approach the mid-moderate range of the Air Quality Index by the weekend - especially if wood-burning fireplaces are utilized extensively.  Otherwise, relatively good air quality is expected.

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

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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