U.S. Air Quality

Blowing dust event over Southwest; Moderate PM2.5 and Ozone AQI across eastern United States

Raised PM2.5 AQI levels near the southern New Mexico/Texas border continued through dawn this morning, in response to powerful winds initiating blowing dust (top left, courtesy AIRNow). Westerly wind gusts exceeding 25 mph were measured this afternoon at the El Paso airport, as they steered the moderately dense dust northeastward towards Amarillo, Texas (top right, courtesy KELP). The HMS analysis team reports the dust has become lofted, and is stretching from western Texas northeastward through eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska, and western Iowa. NAAPS aerosol forecast depicts areas of dust (green) to remain in this region through Tuesday (bottom left). Moderate PM2.5 and Ozone AQI were observed today over the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast states, as a persistent southwesterly breeze ushered in an unseasonably mild air mass. According to the NAAPS model, surface sulfate concentrations are forecast to remain raised over this area through Tuesday as well.