Today’s forecast: daily ozone levels

The official ozone forecast for the Houston region is issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

This map, however, is an ozone forecast produced by the University of Houston. Ozone values are scaled to the standard air quality index colors.

The forecast map indicates peak ozone values as averaged over an eight-hour period. Short-term exposures to unhealthy levels of ozone smog may not be well represented in this forecast.

Because the forecast maps are generated by a computer model, they may not take into account ongoing pollution events such as forest fires and industrial pollution releases. The official TCEQ forecast should consider the impact of ongoing pollution events.

This table allows you to select various maps and links to data sets for Houston-region air quality conditions and forecasts. National data are below.

Since most pollution emissions are relatively constant, the major factors affecting day-to-day levels of pollution are:

• local weather conditions;
• major chemical plant or refinery pollution releases; and
• transport of pollution from other areas (especially affecting fine particles).

There are some limited near real-time data available for air toxics from the TCEQ, but these data are not presented in a way that is of much use from a personal or public health perspective.

To access historical air pollution data for the Houston region, the TCEQ provides hourly data by pollutant reports (which also include weather data). More extensive pollution monitoring data archives are also available for download and analysis.

What caused the air pollution?

Major air pollution episodes affecting the Houston region are often analyzed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality within a few days, and may include extensive maps identifying the areas where the pollution episode originated as well as other contributing factors.

Today’s forecast: daily ozone levels

The US Environmental Protection Agency compiles official ozone forecasts issued by state and local governments.

This map, however, is an ozone forecast produced by the University of Houston. Ozone values are scaled to the standard air quality index colors.

The EPA also makes a similar NOAA ozone forecast map available.

The forecast maps indicates peak ozone values as averaged over an eight-hour period. Short-term exposures to unhealthy levels of ozone smog may not be well represented in this forecast.

Because the forecast maps are generated by a computer model, they may not take into account ongoing pollution events such as forest fires and industrial pollution releases.

This table allows you to select various maps and links to data sets for national air quality conditions and forecasts.

Since most pollution emissions are relatively constant, the major factors affecting day-to-day levels of pollution are:

• local weather conditions;
• major chemical plant or refinery pollution releases; and
• transport of pollution from other areas (especially affecting fine particles).

The EPA maintains an air toxics database, but these data are not available in a very timely manner. Analyzing the data requires some skill, but can be useful for understanding long-term exposure to air pollution.