Air Quality Forecast

September 1 – September 5: A troughing pattern over Northern California and the PNW will bring chances of precipitation on Wednesday as the system moves down the coast.  Most of the precipitation will fall in the northern Bay Area with diminishing probabilities of rain (20% and 0.01”) as the system migrates southward. Along with troughing, expect a deepened marine layer and onshore breezes. Regarding the Timber and Plaskett Fires in Big Sur, smoke generated with continue to be transported to the east over the Santa Lucia Mountains and into southern Monterey County. Expect GOOD to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS (USG) PM2.5 (smoke) AQIs, with excursions into the UNHEALTHY range. Modeling indicates the low, which is facilitating onshore flow, will be present until at least early next week so expect this pattern of smoke transport to continue until then. Temperatures will range from the mid-50s to the low-70s at the coast and low-50s to mid-80s inland. Cooler temperatures inland indicate ozone production will be at normal levels; therefore, ozone AQIs will remain GOOD.  20 mph wind speeds with 30 mph gusts in the Salinas Valley could bring PM10 AQIs to MODERATE.

MBARD Smoke Sensor Network

 

Regulatory Air Monitoring Stations