AQI Forecast
Note: Hover over datapoints on the graph for more information.
Air quality levels have risen into the middle to upper Code YELLOW range across the Triad this afternoon, as an anomalously warm and dry upper-level ridge remains firmly entrenched over the southeastern United States. The upper-level ridge should generally hold over the region the rest of the week to bring record high temperatures to Triad locales, with the only relief in the form of a shortwave trough passing along the northern edge of the ridge late Thursday that will increase cloud cover a bit into Friday morning. With that said, the lack of ventilation of the loaded air mass will lead to a recirculation of elevated pollution concentrations over the next several days. This should keep ozone levels in the upper Code YELLOW range, at minimum, as skies should remain generally clear and dry through Friday. Despite favorable temperatures and dry skies, a persistent southwesterly wind that peaks in intensity by Thursday will generate enough low-level wind dispersion to prevent ozone levels from reaching air quality alert status. As the upper-level disturbance departs east on Friday, westerly winds should also provide enough low-level dispersion to keep ozone AQI in the upper Code YELLOW range. Particle pollution will likely remain in the low to middle Code YELLOW range through the week, remaining a secondary pollutant to ozone levels. (Payne) *** Due to increased wildfire risk and severe drought across most of the state, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a statewide ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide. ***
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The Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection is making data available from the county's air monitoring network as a public service. These data represent the hourly data set from all of the sites within this network. Data from Triad sites outside of Forsyth County are collected by the North Carolina Division of Air Quality.
Disclaimer: The Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection posts this information using the first available data from our air quality monitoring network. No quality control review has been performed on this data, and the final results are subject to change after completion of standard quality assurance review and validation procedures.