The Lehigh Valley/Berks Area Air Quality Forecast for:
Thursday, November 22, 2007: Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code YELLOW Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!
Friday, November 23, 2007: Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Saturday, November 24, 2007: Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Sunday, November 25, 2007: Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Monday, November 26, 2007: Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code YELLOW
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Tuesday, November 20, 2007: PM 2.5 – YELLOW (66 AQI or 22.9 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: Breaks in the clouds are allowing some peaks of sunshine over the forecast area. Temperatures will probably be on the warm end of the forecast range. Clouds and rain extend over the Great Lakes and the mid-section of the country. These will make their way eastward affecting our region on Thanksgiving Day. Much colder air will filter in behind this next system. Fine-particulate concentrations have moved into the upper end of the moderate range and should remain there through tomorrow.
Partly cloudy with some areas of fog or haze forming overnight and temperatures falling towards the 50 degree mark. Remaining partly cloudy with increasing winds and a chance of a morning shower as a cold front crosses the region. Temperatures could rise into the 60s before winds switch to the northwest and temperatures begin to fall later in the afternoon. Thursday’s fine-particulate concentrations will fall during the day but remain high enough to stay in the code YELLOW (moderate) range.
Partly cloudy, windy and cold overnight with a stray flurry and temperatures falling towards the 30-degree mark. Becoming mostly sunny with diminishing winds on Friday and afternoon temperatures only expected to be near 40 degrees. Friday’s fine-particulate concentrations should fall into the code GREEN (good) range.
Mainly clear overnight and very cold with some of the outlying areas seeing temperatures bottom out in the upper teens by dawn. Becoming mostly sunny on Saturday with afternoon temperatures in the mid 40s. Saturday’s fine-particulate levels should remain in the code GREEN (good) range.
Clear Sunday night but not quite as cold with temperatures expected to bottom out near 30 degrees. Mostly sunny with some clouds later in the day as southerly winds pick up allowing temperatures to reach the low 50s. Sunday’s fine-particulate levels should rise but remain in the code GREEN (good) range.
Mainly clear with some areas of fog developing overnight and temperatures expected to fall just below freezing by dawn. Increasing clouds and winds; rain should develop later in the day with temperatures expected to reach the mid to upper 40s. Southerly winds and increasing humidity levels should push Monday’s fine-particulate concentrations into the code YELLOW (moderate) range.
Extended: A rather cold holiday weekend for the most part. Temperatures should begin to moderate a bit by Sunday. A storm system is forecast to form over the Gulf States then swing into the Northeast early next week. Rain should arrive late Monday evening. While cold air is poised behind this system the models suggest most of it will push into eastern Canada rather than spilling into our area. We expect fine-particulate levels to rise into the moderate range early next week before falling back into the good range by the middle of next week.
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Tim Leon Guerrero
Meteorologist
PA DEP Bureau of Air Quality
Tags: air quality forecast, AQI, Berks County, Lehigh Valley
