Minimal rain chances, but it'll be hot for the foreseeable future

Summer "officially" starts 6 days from today, but Mother Nature has decided to bring on the full-on summertime pattern to our area early. This weekend into next week, our forecast pattern will be primarily influenced by a high pressure that has developed over our area. This high pressure will keep our rain chances to a minimum, but will allow our temps to reach around 5 degrees above average for mid June. Main story lines will be our poor air quality and dangerous heat index values through the weekend.

Poor air quality today, could continue into tomorrow

A Code Orange Air Quality Alert (AQA) is in effect for today for Shelby and surrounding counties. This means forecast ozone levels near the surface are expected to be potentially hazardous. With our light winds and very hot temperatures, this has contributed to the poor air quality.  

We are under a Code Orange Air Quality Alert, which means sensitive groups are the most likely to feel impacts from the air today. 

While this may not impact most peoples day to day activities, people should limit their prolonged outdoor activities. This especially applies to sensitive groups such as active children/adults and people with respiratory diseases such as asthma. Visit www.midsouthair.org for more information on the Code Orange and additional safety tips. 

While this AQA has not been extended into tomorrow yet, I would not be surprised if this continues through the weekend. 

Today & this weekend

Satellite imagery as of 10:15 AM today shows some cloud coverage to our north and south, but not a lot of clouds over our area. (College of DuPage)

Under mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies, the main story over the next few days will be our temperatures. Daily highs will creep into the low to mid 90s with overnight temps only falling into the mid 70s. Our dew point temps will stick in the 70s, which will keep our humidity levels pretty high through the weekend. With our temps and humidity levels being this high, there are some heat index concerns. 

The National Weather Service begins issuing Heat Index Advisories when the heat index reaches 105 degrees and Heat Index Warnings when these values reach over 110. (NOAA/NWS)

Right now, our local NWS has issued a Special Weather Statement highlighting these dangerous heat index values. For today, these values will likely coast in the 100 to 105 degree range. However, heat index values will near 105 tomorrow, so a Heat Advisory may need to be issued.

6/15 12:30 PM Update: Our local NWS just issued a Heat Advisory for northeastern Arkansas, including Crittenden County, through 9 PM tonight. Heat index values are expected to reach 106 to 108 degrees this afternoon. Exercise caution with strenuous outdoor activities, especially in this area.

Starting today through this weekend, it would be a good idea to follow heat safety tips. Limiting prolonged outdoor activities, staying hydrated, and applying plenty of sunscreen will be your best friend this weekend. 

Here are a few heat safety tips. For more information, visit www.weather.gov/heat (NOAA/NWS)

The good news is that rain chances will be fairly small over the next few days. While we can't completely rule out an afternoon shower/thunderstorm with how much moisture is present, any showers that develop will stay isolated. The "best" day for these afternoon thunderstorms appears to be Sunday, but even then there is no guarantee that storms will be able to fire under high pressure. So if you do have outdoor plans this weekend, while it'll be hot, you shouldn't have to worry about rain chances until Sunday. 

Glance at next week

Next week appears to be a continuation of our current weather pattern with no real relief in sight. High pressure will continue to dominate the area, although models vary as to when the ridge will begin to break down. What would this mean for us? Afternoon rain chances vs minimal afternoon rain chances. If the high pressure remains well in place, which I lean towards this happening, then our small, isolated rain chances will continue. If the high pressure begins to break down, then we may get slightly higher rain chances each day. 

Taking a look at the 500 mb level, there is a ridge that has built in over the area which will continue to hold on next week. This loop from Monday through Wednesday shows minimal mid level winds with this ridge staying in place. (Pivotal Weather)

Regardless, high temps appear to remain in the low 90s into next week. Dew point temps look to coast in the low 70s, which will keep our humidity levels pretty high. Overnight temps will fall into the mid 70s, so we won't have much relief then as well. 

Overall, stay hydrated this weekend and into next week folks. It'll be hot, but at least outdoor plans shouldn't be hindered by any rain. As always, if our AQA is extended or a Heat Advisory is issued, we will be sure to let you know on our social media platforms.

Caroline MacDonald
MWN Meteorologist Intern

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Humidity on the rise, hot temps continue

Code Orange Air Quality Alert Tomorrow

The Memphis area briefly reached Code Red for poor air quality late this afternoon, though that expires at sunset. However, yet another Code Orange Air Quality Alert (AQA) is in effect for tomorrow for Shelby and surrounding counties. This AQA is due to the forecast ozone quantities in near-surface air. What does this mean? Well, since wind is light and temperatures are very hot, whenever ozone pollutants are created in the atmosphere they don't get pushed out of our area, hence increasing the amount of ozone that hangs around.

Air Quality is ranked numerically, but also with a color code. Orange and higher becomes problematic for those with difficulty breathing, and even the general population.

While this may not impact your day to day living, it is recommended that you limit prolonged outdoor activities, especially for sensitive groups such as active children/adults and people with respiratory disease such as asthma. 

Visit www.midsouthclearair.org for more information on the Code Orange and additional safety tips.

Now through Saturday

Fairly quiet conditions will continue now through the first half of this weekend as our overall weather pattern continues to be dominated by a high pressure in the Ohio River Valley. Winds have shifted to become more southerly, which has added that additional mugginess factor into the forecast. Highs will glide into the low to mid 90s for the remainder of the week with dew point temps coasting into the upper 60s. This will allow heat index values to reach near 100 by Saturday.

Temps will fall into the low 70s each night. The good news for the forecast period is we will have sunny skies through the first half of the weekend, without any of those pesky afternoon shower chances. If you have plans now until Saturday, enjoy the sunshine! It may be hot and humid, but it'll be nice to have a few more days with no rain chances for a change. Just make sure you are paying attention to the air quality levels and take precautions as necessary!

Scattered rain chances re-introduced on Sunday 

Our minimal rain chances could only last so long as moisture continues to be pushed into the area to begin next week. With southerly winds remaining, plenty of moisture will aid in our dew point temps continuing to rise, which brings in those scattered showers and thunderstorm chances each day. 

Dew point temps will continue to rise through the beginning of next week as winds remain southerly to southwesterly. Purple is higher moisture/dewpoints in this loop. (Pivotal Weather)

Additionally, temps will remain above average through the beginning of next week. Highs look to top off in low 90s with overnight temps falling to the mid 70s.

The remainder of next week looks to be characterized by similar temperatures and more moisture, which will bring up those rain chances each day. It has been nice to have a week without scattered afternoon showers/t'storms. However, the general summertime trend will likely return next week.

The 6-10 outlook from the Climate Prediction Center has Memphis right on the border between slightly above and above average temperatures.  This is valid for next Tuesday through next Saturday. (NOAA/CPC)

The 6-10 outlook from the Climate Prediction Center keeps Memphis in the slightly above average category in terms of precipitation for next week. (NOAA/CPC) 

Caroline MacDonald
MWN Meteorologist Intern

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Follow MWN on Facebook and Twitter for routine updates and the latest info!
Complete MWN Forecast: MemphisWeather.net on the mobile web or via the MWN mobile app
Download our iPhone or Android apps, featuring StormWatch+ severe weather alerts!

MWN is a NOAA Weather Ready Nation Ambassador

Meteorologist Erik Proseus is an NWA Digital Seal Holder

How a mulch fire and atmospheric inversion create a smoky morning commute

As we drove into town last evening from a few (well-deserved I might say) days at the beach with family, a huge plume of smoke emanated from the area around I-40 and Sycamore View near Bartlett. I didn't know what was on fire at the time, nor did I realize (since I had been away from detailed atmospheric analysis since late last week) what the ramifications would be this morning.

However, an early glance at Twitter this morning and then a drive through Bartlett on my way to work quickly made clear the situation. A combination of fire and smoke continuing through the overnight hours from a huge mulch fire and a surface-based "thermal (atmospheric) inversion" had created a very smoky commute through central Shelby County!

Photos taken about 8:30am Wednesday. This one was several miles northeast of the mulch fire, but smoke was still present in the air, creating a beautiful set of "crepuscular rays" through the trees.

Approaching I-40 southbound on Sycamore View, the smoke got thick and acrid with visibility below 1/2 mile (note you can't see the I-40 overpass from Summer Avenue, a distance of  0.6 mile).

On I-40 east of Sycamore View, the dense low-level smoke is trapped below an inversion and is thickest in the area of the overnight fire that was still smoldering this morning

The Atmosphere, Inverted!

A surface-based inversion is created when the lowest level of the atmosphere (typically a couple thousand feet above the ground) cools more quickly than the layer above it. This is not uncommon and, in fact, occurs more often than not when the wind is light to calm. When an inversion is in place, the temperature actually warms with height, instead of cools (which is the typical thermal profile during the daytime).

The typical setup during a surface-based inversion and after it dissipates, courtesy UCSI University.

An aircraft sounding from Memphis International shortly before 7am Wednesday shows the temperature (in red) rising from the low 50s at the ground to the mid 60s at 1000 feet before falling slowly above that height. The pronounced temperature increase is the " thermal inversion" which effectively "capped" the polluted surface-based air from escaping.

The warming air creates a sort of "lid" on the lower atmosphere, trapping it near the ground and disallowing smoke, fog, smog, etc. from dissipating upwards. It's not unlike the "cap" we talk about relative to summertime thunderstorm development, only this inversion occurs close to the ground, not in the middle layers of the atmosphere.

About this morning's inversion

The "strength" of the cap, or inversion, is determined by the difference in the temperature between the cool air below and warmer air above. Sometimes it is only a few degrees, sometimes much more. The stronger the inversion (or bigger the temperature difference), the stronger the "lid" is between the low levels and the air above. This morning, the inversion was very strong! In fact, outside the city, temperatures were in the mid 40s (lower 50s in the city) and the warm layer above the ground was in the mid to upper 60s. That's a 15-20°F inversion!

The other interesting feature about this morning's inversion was that it was based very close to the Earth's surface. That warm layer in the mid 60s was only about 1000 feet above the ground. That means if you were to go up 1000 feet, it would be 20° warmer than at the ground. It also means that all that smoke was trapped in air that was only 1000 feet deep.  If it were 2000-3000 feet thick, the smoke would have had much more air (by volume) to disperse through. Instead, it spread out at the surface rather than escaping up.

Air quality alerts

As we know, smoke is not something you want to be breathing, as it is harmful to the lungs due to particulate matter that is an ingredient in the smoke. This morning, a Shelby County Health Department air monitoring station at Shelby Farms actually went "code red" for a while due to the harmful particulates in the air. (It's a good thing there wasn't a station at the Summer 4 Drive-In!) The Health Department issued a statement indicating that those with breathing issues or other illnesses stay indoors and others not exert too much energy in the affected areas.

An air quality monitor operated by us at Shelby Farms recorded levels of particulate matter at a concentration considered unhealthy.

— Shelby County Health (@ShelbyTNHealth) October 14, 2015

At the levels being recorded at this one monitor, everyone may begin to experience health effects.

— Shelby County Health (@ShelbyTNHealth) October 14, 2015

So how did the majority of the low-level smoke (outside of the source of it at the fire site) dissipate? The inversion disappeared as the low level temperatures warmed. As soon as the lowest 1000 feet of the atmosphere rose into the mid 60s (which occurred by mid-morning), the inversion was gone and air from the very low levels could mix with the air above, allowing the smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere above the morning inversion. However, the Health Department indicates that a Code Orange air quality alert remains in effect through midnight tonight, which means the air continues to be "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups."

We have issued a “CODE ORANGE” air quality advisory for fine particulate matter due to an expected monitored exceedance.

— Shelby County Health (@ShelbyTNHealth) October 14, 2015

Sensitive groups include the very old and young and anyone with respiratory disorders or cardiovascular problems.

— Shelby County Health (@ShelbyTNHealth) October 14, 2015

So, the takeaway is that while an inversion is not rare, it was simply stronger and lower than usual this morning and we had a source of pollution to gauge just how it works. You can "breathe easier" now that you got your weather 101 for the day! How bad was the smoke where you live or work?

Erik Proseus
MWN Meteorologist

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Shelby Co. Health Department issues first-ever "Code Purple" air quality alert

Memphis metro residents got an air quality wake-up call that seemed to come out of nowhere today.  A Code Orange Air Quality Alert that has become the norm under hot and stagnant air conditions was raised to Code Red about 4:30pm as ozone levels climbed, then raised again to uncharted territory - a Code Purple alert - two hours later.

Though the unprecedented Code Purple only lasted for about 90 minutes until the sun set, it still seemed to catch many metro residents by surprise.  The overwhelming comment on MWN's Facebook post relaying the information was "wow!"

EPA color-coded air quality forecasts and their health concern level

Shelby County Health Department air pollution meteorologist Mike Goldstein indicated that this was the first ever Code Purple issued for the metro, which includes Shelby County, as well as Crittenden County in east AR and DeSoto County in northwest MS. "Our numbers are ...as high as I’ve seen in many years," Goldstein said.

A Code Purple, which is the second highest of the color-coded air pollution levels, means that the general population, not just those who are in the "sensitive groups" category, could be affected. Ground-level ozone is different from upper-level ozone that people generally think of when referencing a hole in the ozone layer. Low-level ozone is formed when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight. Ozone at ground level is a harmful air pollutant.  At Code Purple levels, ozone can cause serious and lasting damage to the lungs.

Diagram courtesy AirNow.gov.

As long as hot high pressure remains over the Mid-South, MWN expects at least Code Orange alerts to be issued daily.  If the right conditions come together, we could see more Code Red days, though hopefully not Code Purple.  You can keep up with the current and forecast air quality levels, as well as tips to help reduce air pollution on the MWN Air Quality page or at AirNow.gov.

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For weather information for Memphis and the Mid-South, where and when you need it, visit MemphisWeather.net on the web, m.memphisweather.net on your mobile phone, download our iPhone or Android apps, or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.

What's up with these Code Orange ozone alerts?

Thanks to hot conditions generated by stagnant high pressure over the region, the low-level ozone is forecast by the Shelby County Health Department Air Quality Improvement Branch to be high enough that a Code Orange Ozone Advisory has been issued for Wednesday.  This is certainly not the first of these advisories to be issued this summer and it won't be the last.  In fact, it's possible we could see them for the rest of the week based on the current forecast.

Code Orange means that the air is "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups," including those with respiratory problems under normal circumstances (asthma, lung disease, etc.) and active adults and children and the elderly. The Health Department urges everyone to reduce time spent outside and limit prolonged exertion, reduce trips and carpool and limit idling, and schedule outdoor activities in the morning and evening, avoiding the hottest part of the day.  In addition, you can conserve energy but raising the thermostat slightly, turn off unused appliances and lights, and close the blinds or curtains so that less air conditioning is required to cool your home, all in an effort to reduce pollution.

Why are we seemingly under more Code Orange alerts the past couple of years? It isn't entirely because the air is worse... the federal government recently (2008) changed the air quality standards, requiring stricter compliance and cleaner air.  Therefore, code orange actually requires lower ozone levels than it used to - thus more alerts for the same ozone levels!

For more information on ozone and air quality, visit the following links:

• MWN's Air Quality Forecast page
• Shelby County Health Department Air Quality Improvement Branch
• AirNow.gov - excellent resource
• EnviroFlash - air quality notifications
• Environmental Protection Agency
• More about ozone from the EPA
• What you can do - reduce air pollution

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For weather information for Memphis and the Mid-South, where and when you need it, visit MemphisWeather.net on the web, m.memphisweather.net on your mobile phone, download our iPhone or Android apps, or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.

Hazy and hot will be joined by humid - and it's only the beginning of June!

The Mid-South is in the throes of weather normally reserved for August as the 3 H's (heat, haze, and humidity) are combining to make things miserable across the region. The heat began last Saturday as we started a streak of 90-degree days that right now seems to have no end. With a week of 90-degree weather and persistent high pressure aloft sitting directly over the Mid-South, hazy conditions have also joined in.

Humidity has also been on the rise each day, but until today has dropped enough in the afternoons to keep the heat index near or below 100. As the humidity starts to climb though, heat indices will reach 105+ today through the weekend (at least).  This has prompted the issuance of a Heat Advisory through 10pm tonight and we will likely see advisories continue through the weekend as high temperatures remain in the upper 90s into next week.

Interestingly, the earliest 100-degree reading ever seen at Memphis International Airport was on June 6 in 1977.  Though 100 is not in the forecast, there is a small chance we could touch the century mark this weekend.  If we do that, it'll be the earliest 100 degree temperature ever in Memphis.

The hazy part of the 3H formula can be seen in the snapshot from FOX-13's downtown SkyFox cam shown above and is due to increasing levels of ozone and pollution trapped in the lower atmosphere under sinking air created by persistent high pressure overhead.  Without much wind, the pollution sits in place rather than being dispersed. Ozone is chemically created from pollutants from cars, factories, and other industry reacting in the presence of sunlight and heat. It then becomes a pollutant (more on ozone basics).

For today, the level of ozone is forecast by the Shelby County Health Department Air Quality Improvement Branch is high enough that a Code Orange Ozone Advisory has been issued.  Code Orange means that the air is "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups," including those with respiratory problems under normal circumstances (asthma, lung disease, etc.) and active adults and children and the elderly.  The Health Department urges everyone to reduce time spent outside and limit prolonged exertion, reduce trips and carpool, and schedule outdoor activities in the morning and evening, avoiding the hottest part of the day.

For more information on ozone and air quality, visit the following links:

• MWN's Air Quality Forecast page
• Shelby County Health Department Air Quality Improvement Branch
• AirNow.gov - excellent resource
• EnviroFlash - air quality notifications
• Environmental Protection Agency

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Code Orange Ozone Forecast for Tuesday

AIR QUALITY ALERT MESSAGE
MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
417 PM CDT MON APR 12 2010

...CODE ORANGE OZONE FORECAST FOR TUESDAY...

THE MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A CODE ORANGE OZONE FORECAST EFFECTIVE FOR SHELBY COUNTY TENNESSEE... CRITTENDEN COUNTY ARKANSAS... AND DESOTO COUNTY MISSISSIPPI... INCLUDING THE CITY OF MEMPHIS FOR TUESDAY. THIS OZONE FORECAST IS DUE TO FORECASTED OZONE VALUES THAT WILL BE UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. THESE VALUES WILL EXCEED THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYS FEDERAL SAFE HEALTH STANDARD.

THE MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT SENSITIVE GROUPS WHICH INCLUDE ACTIVE CHILDREN AND ADULTS... AND PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASE... SUCH AS ASTHMA... LIMIT PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO CHECK THE LATEST AIR QUALITY FORECASTS AND UPDATES UNTIL MONITORED VALUES RETURN TO SAFE LEVELS. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.SHELBYCOUNTYTN.GOV.

$$

Additional information regarding this alert can be found at AirNow.gov, as well as from the Memphis/Shelby County Health Department - Pollution Control Division. Air quality forecasts are also available daily at MemphisWeather.net.

Heat Advisory and Code Orange extended

The Heat Advisory for the entire metro area, all of west TN, north MS, and eastern AR, and the Code Orange Air Quality Alert for the Memphis area, will be in effect through Tuesday evening. Today's highs as of 3:45pm include 99 at Memphis Int'l, 97 at Jackson, 100 in Jonesboro and Tupelo, and 99 in West Memphis. The MWN weather station in Bartlett recorded 101.7 for a high! Heat indices have been hovering between 104-110 all day. This hot weather will continue tomorrow, maybe with a degree or two of cooling due to a few more clouds and isolated t'storms. Fortunately, a front will work it's way into the area Tuesday night and Wednesday, providing some relief from the heat, and hopefully a little rain!

Code Orange Ozone Forecast

AIR QUALITY ALERT MESSAGE
MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
338 PM CDT TUE JUL 15 2008

...CODE ORANGE OZONE FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY...

THE MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS
ISSUED A CODE ORANGE OZONE FORECAST EFFECTIVE FOR
SHELBY COUNTY TENNESSEE...CRITTENDEN COUNTY ARKANSAS...
AND DESOTO COUNTY MISSISSIPPI...INCLUDING THE CITY OF
MEMPHIS FOR WEDNESDAY THIS OZONE FORECAST IS DUE TO
FORECASTED OZONE VALUES THAT WILL BE UNHEALTHY FOR
SENSITIVE GROUPS. THESE VALUES WILL EXCEED THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYS FEDERAL SAFE HEALTH
STANDARD. THE MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT SENSITIVE GROUPS WHICH
INCLUDE ACTIVE CHILDREN AND ADULTS...AND PEOPLE
WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASE...SUCH AS ASTHMA...LIMIT
PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO
CHECK THE LATEST AIR QUALITY FORECASTS AND UPDATES
UNTIL MONITORED VALUES RETURN TO SAFE LEVELS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.SHELBYCOUNTYTN.GOV.

Air Quality Awareness Week - Tuesday

AIR QUALITY CAN VARY...DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH AIR POLLUTION IS PRODUCED IN YOUR COMMUNITY...HOW MUCH POLLUTION IS CARRIED INTO YOUR COMMUNITY BY THE WIND...AND BY WEATHER CONDITIONS.

OZONE FORMS WHEN TWO GROUPS OF KEY POLLUTANTS...NITROGEN OXIDES AND VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS...COOK IN THE SUN. FOR EXAMPLE...PARTICULATE MATTER CAN BE DIRECTLY EMITTED IN SMOKE FROM A WOODSTOVE...BUT A LOT OF PARTICLES FORM WHEN GASES REACT IN THE AIR. NITROGEN OXIDES AND SULFUR DIOXIDES CONTRIBUTE TO PARTICULATE MATTER FORMATION.

THESE OZONE AND PARTICLE FORMING POLLUTANTS COME FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF SOURCES...INCLUDING CARS...TRUCKS...BUSES...POWER PLANTS...AND INDUSTRIES. NATURAL SOURCES SUCH AS WILDFIRES AND DUSTSTORMS CONTRIBUTE TO PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTION. TREES AND OTHER VEGETATION ALSO EMIT ORGANIC COMPOUNDS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO PARTICULATE MATTER AND OZONE POLLUTION.

WEATHER PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THE LEVELS OF OZONE AND PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTION IN YOUR COMMUNITY. SUNLIGHT AND HEAT PROMOTE OZONE FORMATION. LIGHT WINDS AND TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS CAN KEEP POLLUTION CONCENTRATED NEAR THE GROUND. DEPENDING ON ITS DIRECTION...THE WIND CAN BRING IN MORE POLLUTION...SOMETIMES FROM HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

TOMORROW WE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF POOR AIR QUALITY.

...courtesy NWS/Memphis

Air Quality Awareness week - Monday

THIS WEEK MARKS THE BEGINNING OF OZONE SEASON FOR MANY AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN THE MID-SOUTH THE OZONE SEASON OCCURS FROM APRIL 1ST THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST.

EACH DAY OF AIR QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK WILL FEATURE A UNIQUE TOPIC RELEVANT TO EDUCATION AND PREPAREDNESS. TODAY WE HIGHLIGHT TWO TYPES OF AIR POLLUTION: OZONE AND PARTICLE POLLUTION...THESE ARE TWO COMMON POLLUTANTS FOUND IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

OZONE IS A COLORLESS ODORLESS GAS. IT IS THE SAME GAS THAT IS FOUND IN THE OZONE LAYER...HIGH IN THE EARTH'S STRATOSPHERE...WHERE IT PROTECTS US FROM THE SUN'S ULTRAVIOLET ENERGY. BUT AT GROUND LEVEL WHERE WE LIVE...OZONE POLLUTION IS UNHEALTHY TO BREATHE. OZONE POLLUTION CAN REACH UNHEALTHFUL LEVELS DURING THE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL MONTHS ACROSS THE MID SOUTH.

PARTICLE POLLUTION...OR AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER...CONSISTS OF MICROSCOPIC PARTICLES IN THE AIR. IN THE MID SOUTH...PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTION CAN OCCUR YEAR ROUND. LIKE OZONE...PARTICLE POLLUTION IS NOT HEALTHY TO BREATHE. THE PARTICLES ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO HAZE WHICH BLURS THE VIEW IN MANY CITIES AND NATIONAL PARKS.

TOMORROW WE WILL LEARN HOW THESE POLLUTANTS FORM AND CREATE POOR AIR QUALITY CONDITIONS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AIR QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK...VISIT THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT http://www.airquality.noaa.gov/

... courtesy NWS/Memphis