Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Monday, March 24, 2008:
PM 2.5 – GREEN (35 AQI or 10.8 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: Light showers are working their way eastward out of Michigan at the moment. Clouds should thicken as this system approaches our area later this evening. These showers may eventually affect our region early tomorrow morning though the bulk of the precipitation is forecast to stay well to our north. Fine-particulate concentrations are currently in the good range.
Increasing clouds overnight with the possibility of some light showers developing over portions of the forecast area. Precipitation should fall in the form of rain as most areas should stay in the mid 30s except in the higher elevations to our north. Mostly cloudy with a passing shower in the morning though we should see some breaks in the overcast and an increase in the wind later in the afternoon. Temperatures will climb into the mid 50s. Westerly winds and drier air should keep Wednesday’s fine-particulate concentrations in the codeGREEN (good) range.
Extended: A frontal boundary should develop over the forecast area later this week. This means we are probably in for an extended period of clouds and showers that could last through Friday. While temperatures should stay on the cool side, they should be warm enough to keep the bulk of any precipitation in liquid form. Air-quality readings should fluctuate between the good and moderate ranges over the next several days.
Spring must be coming because the ice on Lake Erie is beginning to break up! The Buffalo NWS Office has a nice site showing ice-melt progress. If you are interested click here: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/buf/lakeffect/ice0708/index_0708.htm (note recent winds have shoved most of the ice against the southern and eastern sides of the lake)
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN **First Day of Spring!*
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Tuesday, March 18, 2008:
PM 2.5 – GREEN (29 AQI or 8.3 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: Clouds, showers and fog have crept in across most of the forecast area. A Flood Watch has been posted for Lehigh and Northampton counties as an area of low pressure moves towards our region. This system could trigger heavy rains, gusty winds and possibly a rumble of thunder later tonight. Fine-particulate concentrations are rising in portions of Berks County though numbers are expected to fall later this evening.
Cloudy with fog and a possible thunderstorm overnight; rain could be heavy causing some localized flooding. Winds will increase as temperatures fall into the low 40s. Mostly cloudy early with gusty winds and some lingering showers. Skies will clear gradually by the afternoon though winds will remain brisk with temperatures only expected reach the mid to upper 40s. Strong northwesterly winds and drier air will help keep Thursday’s fine-particulate concentrations in the code GREEN (good) range.
Extended: Once this system clears out we should see an extended period with little or no significant precipitation except for a weak low projected to cross the Mid-Atlantic on Saturday. This system may produce some light mixed precipitation. Temperatures should run a bit lower than average this weekend as relatively cold air sits over the eastern half of the country. The models are beginning to pick up an interesting storm system for early next week, but we’ll just have to wait to see what happens. For now we expect air-quality readings to remain mainly in the good range for the extended period.
Saturday, March 15, 2008:
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Sunday, March 16, 2008:
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Monday, March 17, 2008:
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Thursday, March 14, 2008:
PM 2.5 – YELLOW (61 AQI or 20.5 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: Mostly sunny skies across the region; showers are currently pushing into the western end of the state and should arrive here later this evening. Quite pleasant with temperatures in the 50s with an outside chance we may see 60. Air-quality readings have risen into the mid to upper moderate range this afternoon. These should begin to fall once the rain arrives tonight.
Cloudy with rain and fog expected overnight with temperatures falling towards 40 degrees. Lingering showers Saturday morning with brisk northwesterly winds. Skies will clear gradually in the afternoon with temperatures expected to reach the mid 50s. Fine-particulate concentration should fall throughout the day as drier air is ushered in by northwesterly winds. This should be enough to lower Saturday’s fine-particulate concentrations into the code GREEN (good) range.
Another storm system will make its way out of the country’s midsection causing clouds to increase overnight. Rain may develop towards morning though the bulk of the precipitation is forecast to pass to our south. Any rain should end and skies should begin to clear by the afternoon. Brisk northerly winds will develop behind this system making it feel chilly as temperatures struggle to get into the 40s. Brisk winds and drier air should keep Sunday’s fine-particulate concentrations in the code GREEN (good) range.
Mainly clear and breezy overnight with temperatures expected to fall into the 20s. Becoming mostly sunny with diminishing winds and afternoon temperatures near 50 degrees. Monday’s fine-particulate concentrations should begin to rise but overall remain mainly in the code GREEN (good) range.
Extended: A quick check of the rain gauges across the forecast region confirms we’ve been running well above average so far this year. We should get a bit of a reprieve to start out next week though rain could be back in our picture as soon as Tuesday. Temperatures are forecast to be a bit below where we should be for this time of year (50s for his and 30s for lows). With this quick progression of systems we don’t expect air-quality readings to move much above the moderate range.
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code YELLOW
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Wednesday, March 12, 2008:
PM 2.5 – YELLOW (66 AQI or 23.3 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: Rather quiet at the moment as high pressure has temporary control over our weather. Rain associated with a weak low-pressure system appears to be passing to our north at the moment. We expect some clouds later this afternoon and possibly a light shower but nothing real significant. A couple of low-pressure areas will ride up the Ohio River Valley over the next few days. With no real strong weather systems crossing the region, air-quality levels have remained largely in the moderate range.
Partly cloudy overnight with some areas of fog and haze developing by morning and temperatures falling into the mid 30s. Clouds will increase later in the day as a weak low-pressure system works its way into the region from the Ohio Valley. Precipitation could arrive by late afternoon. Temperatures on Friday will be quite mild pushing 60 degrees depending on when the clouds and possible rain develop. Increasing humidity levels, southerly winds and relatively high background concentrations should keep Friday’s fine-particulate concentrations in the code YELLOW
(moderate) range.
Extended: We’ve had a train of weak low-pressure systems rolling through the east this past week. The last and strongest of these systems should cross the region early Sunday morning. Colder and dryer air will filter in behind this system lowering air-quality readings along with the temperatures. This should be temporary as southerly mild flow reestablishes itself early next week.
From the Network of Young Professionals:
Last year, the Pennsylvania House approved comprehensive smoke-free legislation that covers restaurants, bars and casinos. However, the Senate approved loophole-filled legislation that failed to protect all workers and would exempt casinos, some restaurants and bars, nursing homes and other adult-care centers, and even small home-based daycare centers. The Senate bill would also overturn existing local smoke-free laws and prohibit local governments from enacting stronger smoke-free laws in the future. The smoking ban is currently in committee. The committee will review the current proposed laws and create a new one to present to the House and Senate by the end of the month.
Why should you care?
- Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including at least 69 known to cause cancer. According to the Surgeon General,secondhand smoke is proven to cause lung cancer, heart disease, serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome. It is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year.
- The Surgeon General has found that the only way to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is with comprehensive smoke-free workplaces and public places; and smoke-free laws do not hurt business. The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association has endorsed a comprehensive, statewide smoke-free workplace law.
- Twenty-three states and Washington, DC, have passed smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars, and in many cases casinos as well. These states include almost all of Pennsylvania’s neighbors.
Take action now:
- Send a letter to Senator Stewart Greenleaf, committee chairman, at sgreenleaf@pasen.gov. He will share your comments and concerns with the committee reviewing the smoking ban.
- Send a letter to the editor.
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code YELLOW
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Tuesday, March 11, 2008:
PM 2.5 – YELLOW (79 AQI or 29.6 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: A passing cold front earlier this morning is responsible forthis afternoon’s blustery winds. Skies should clear out and winds should diminish later this evening before the next storm system arrives on Thursday. Fine-particulate concentrations are holding in the moderate range at the moment.
Partly cloudy overnight with temperatures expected to fall into the upper 20s. Increasing clouds on Thursday as another area of low pressure approaches the region. There is a slight chance of a late afternoon shower with afternoon temperatures expected to push towards the 50 degree mark. Thursday’s fine-particulate concentrations should remain in the code YELLOW (moderate) range in portions of the forecast area.
Extended: Clouds and occasional showers look like they will persist through the first half of this weekend as a series of storms pass through the region. Temperatures should be warm enough so that the bulk of the precipitation will fall as rain. The last in a series of storms is forecast to pass south of the forecast area on Saturday though this could change. Without any real air-mass changes we expect air-quality readings to remain in the moderate range for the foreseeable future.
From EPA:
(Washington, D.C. - March 7, 200 
EPA has unveiled a new plan of action for working with public port authorities and other interested groups to reduce the environmental impacts of moving goods through ports. The “Vision, Mission, and Strategy for Sustainable Ports” recognizes the steady growth in global maritime commerce and the critical role American ports and related transportation and supply chain partners play in managing the environmental impacts of moving goods across the country.
Ports are vital to the United States economy. Ocean-going ships move more than 99 percent of U.S. overseas trade (by weight). The top ten U.S. ports moved a combined total of 23 million cargo containers in 2006. The environmental challenges for ports and their transportation network include reducing air emissions, improving water quality, and protecting the health of communities near port facilities.
EPA’s Strategy focuses on six themes: Clean Air and Affordable Energy, Clean and Safe Water, Healthy Communities and Eco-systems, Global Environment, Ports Communications, and Enforcement. There are more than 70 possible actions, including working with port authorities, their business partners and other sectors of the transportation industry to quantify and reduce air emissions from all sources along the shipping supply chain; setting up state innovative financing funds to help small owner-operators of diesel equipment finance the upgrading or replacement of older, dirtier engines; and collaborating with the international port community on innovative technologies and development of international standards.
EPA’s strategy complements the recent resolution and guiding principles on port sustainability issued by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). EPA programs will work with AAPA, individual port authorities, private port operators, transportation supply and logistics companies, government agencies, states, communities, and other interested groups to promote and implement sustainable practices at ports and their related operations. EPA regions will work collaboratively with individual ports to select (from among the full menu of possible actions in the EPA Strategy) a specific set of activities to work on together. These shared action plans will address the unique environmental impacts and opportunities for ports in different parts of the country.
More about EPA Strategy for Sustainable Ports and the ports sector: http://www.epa.gov/sectors/ports
From EPA:
Contact: Roxanne Smith, (202) 564-4355 / smith.roxanne@epa.gov
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a draft annual report that analyzes sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The report, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006, will be open for public comment for 30 days after the Federal Register notice is published.
The major finding in this year’s draft report is that overall emissions during 2006 decreased by 1.5 percent from the previous year. This decrease was due primarily to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions associated with fuel and electricity consumption. Total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 were about 7,202million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. Overall, emissions have grown by 14.1 percent from 1990 to 2006 while the U.S. economy has grown by 59 percent over the same period.
The inventory tracks annual greenhouse gas emissions at the national level and presents historical emissions from 1990 to 2006. The inventory also calculates carbon dioxide emissions that are removed from the atmosphere by “sinks,” e.g., through the uptake of carbon by forests, vegetation, and soils.
EPA prepares the annual report in collaboration with experts from multiple federal agencies. After responding to public comments, the U.S. government will submit the final inventory report to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, fulfilling its annual requirement as a party to this international treaty on climate change. The UNFCCC treaty, ratified by the United States in 1992, sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change.
Information on the draft report and how to submit public comments: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html
The Lehigh Valley/Berks Area Air Quality Forecast for:
Wednesday, March 12, 2008:
Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code YELLOW
Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:
Monday, March 10, 2008:
PM 2.5 – YELLOW (64 AQI or 21.9 µg/m3)
Short-Term Discussion: Some scattered clouds across the forecast area at the moment with fine-particulate concentrations currently in the moderate range. Clouds will increase this evening as another weak low-pressure area drops out of the Great Lakes overnight. Temperatures are forecast to remain above freezing so frozen precipitation should not be a problem except to our north.
Cloudy overnight with a possible shower or maybe even wet snow in a few spots; lows will be in the low to mid 30s. Cloudy in the morning with a left over sprinkle in spots, then becoming partly sunny and breezy with afternoon temperatures expected to reach the upper 40s. Wednesday’s fine-particulate concentrations should fall as northwesterly winds pick up but still remain in the code YELLOW (moderate) range for portions of the forecast area.
Extended: The second in a series of weak low pressure systems will pass through our area Wednesday morning with another to follow early Friday morning. Don’t expect much precipitation from either of these systems though with temperatures slowly rising over the remainder of the week, the threat of nuisance snow is diminishing. With a series of weak weather systems affecting us and no real “clean out” appearing to take place air-quality readings will probably remain in the moderate range over the next several days.
