U.S. Air Quality

Smoke over Pacific Northwest and Plain States; Storm surges and local flooding warnings due to Isaac

Smoke from fires in California (Yankee Hill), Oregon (Klamath Falls) and Idaho (Mustang Complex) continue to cover the Pacific Northwest and extend to the Plain States as shown in today's MODIS Terra "true color/rgb" image and GOES AOD image. Aerosol forecasts from the Naval Research Laboratory Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NRL NAAPS) shows the impact/contribution that this smoke may have in AOD retrievals with the highest AOD values predicted at the vicinity of these fire locations. PM2.5 concentrations today were good except in locations near the fire sites which experienced Code Orange levels. Ozone levels were only Moderate in some locations in the Ohio River Valley in the late afternoon hours. Last but not least, government officials in Louisiana and Mississippi have been warning residents of life-threatening hazards from storm surges and local flooding associated with the Tropical Storm Isaac.