Phoenix Forecast

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Air Quality Hourly Forecast | Phoenix

Updated On: 9/23/2021 - 8:22 AM
Click on each day to view forecast.

Thursday Forecast:


Ozone

51 AQI
Max 8-hr Avg: 55 ppb

PM10

56 AQI
24-hr Avg: 66 µg/m3

PM2.5

46 AQI
24-hr Avg: 11.0 µg/m3

Friday Forecast:


Ozone

50 AQI
Max 8-hr Avg: 54 ppb

PM10

50 AQI
24-hr Avg: 54 µg/m3

PM2.5

41 AQI
24-hr Avg: 9.9 µg/m3

Saturday Forecast:


Ozone

48 AQI
Max 8-hr Avg: 52 ppb

PM10

44 AQI
24-hr Avg: 47 µg/m3

PM2.5

41 AQI
24-hr Avg: 9.8 µg/m3

Sunday Forecast:


Ozone

46 AQI
Max 8-hr Avg: 50 ppb

PM10

40 AQI
24-hr Avg: 43 µg/m3

PM2.5

40 AQI
24-hr Avg: 9.5 µg/m3

Monday Forecast:


Ozone

51 AQI
Max 8-hr Avg: 55 ppb

PM10

42 AQI
24-hr Avg: 45 µg/m3

PM2.5

43 AQI
24-hr Avg: 10.3 µg/m3

Air Quality By Pollutant:

Pollutant
Thursday
9/23/2021
Friday
9/24/2021
Saturday
9/25/2021
Sunday
9/26/2021
Monday
9/27/2021
O3
51
50
48
46
51
PM10
56
50
44
40
42
PM2.5
46
41
41
40
43
Pollutant
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
MON
O3
51
50
48
46
51
PM10
56
50
44
40
42
PM2.5
46
41
41
40
43
O3 = Ozone, PM10 = Particles ≤ 10 microns, PM2.5 = Particles ≤ 2.5 microns

Forecast Discussion:

The weather pattern this morning has many pieces to it: (1) A disturbance is moving through the southeastern portion of the state, bringing some rain and copious cloud cover to that area. (2) High pressure has shifted east and is centered over El Paso. (3) A trough of low pressure is moving through the Great Basin with an axis running from Southern California up through Western Montana. (4) Last, but not least, a prominent ridge of high pressure is just off the West Coast of the United States.

All of this will impact the weather in the Valley of the Sun over the next five days. First and foremost, the disturbance moving through southeastern Arizona and the position of the high over El Paso have helped increase moisture across the area. At the same time, a piece of energy will break off the trough and dive southward and center itself just southwest of Arizona tomorrow as it wraps around the side of the high off the West Coast. This weekend, the low will slowly move back toward the east-northeast. This pattern will result in the chance of showers and thunderstorms later this afternoon through at least Monday. Chances will be slight throughout this period, with the best chances being tonight as the system drops southward and again late Saturday through Sunday as the low moves back through the state. For the most part expecting storms to remain isolated in the Valley, with storm totals remaining below a quarter of an inch.

This pattern shifts will also result in afternoon high temperatures dropping into the mid-90s tomorrow through the first part of next week! We might even see temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s Sunday, depending on how much cloud cover there is.

Ok, what about air quality? Yesterday, ozone certainly jumped up, with one monitor reaching 100 AQI, just shy of the federal health standard. Today will raise ozone slightly back into the low Moderate AQI category before dropping into the Good AQI category tomorrow into the weekend, given the increase in clouds, slight rain chances, and better ventilation with the low moving overhead. As for PM-10, expecting is to rise in the Moderate AQI category today with increased values this morning and the chance for some isolated blowing dust later this afternoon. Tomorrow into the weekend, forecasting PM-10 to lower in the Good AQI category; however, would not be surprised to see some isolated pockets of blowing dust with any storms that form.

Overall, an interesting weather pattern to watch over the next several days!

- M. Pace
ADEQ Meteorologist

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