Air Quality Forecast

September 8 – September 12:  A cut-off low and cold front is arriving on the Central Coast early this week, bringing with it cooler temperatures, fog, and slight chances of drizzle. The typical morning marine layer that blankets the area will expand from a depth of 1,500 feet to around 3,000 feet in the evening before mixing out as the colder air aloft moves in Tuesday morning. Instability in the atmosphere as the jet stream passes through, in combination with a lingering moist air mass lifted by the cooler, denser air and daytime surface heating, may create stratiform rain (steady, continuous rain as opposed to a rain shower) going into Wednesday. High temperatures in the region will mostly be in the 60s this week, but certain areas furthest inland may see temperatures reach into the upper 70s. Ozone levels should remain below State standards and therefore ozone AQIs should remain GOOD. Moist conditions will help keep PM10 (dust) AQIs remain GOOD. Smoke generated from the Salt Fire and other wildfires around the state could bring local PM2.5 (smoke) AQIs to MODERATE. However, good ventilation and westerly winds should help limit any major smoke impacts to the North Central Coast Air Basin (NCCAB).

Particulate Matter Sensor Network

Regulatory Air Monitoring Stations