Forecast Issued: Aug. 2, 2018
Forecaster: James Miller, USDA Forest Service
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| The Air Quality Index at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018. See the map above for current conditions. |
At 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, moderate air quality prevailed over most of Central and Eastern Oregon, including Baker City, Bend, Burns, John Day, La Grande and Pendleton. However, significantly worse conditions were observed in Klamath Falls and Lakeview where unhealthy air quality has persisted for most of the past three days.
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| Near-surface smoke forecast from the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Model for Thursday, August 02, 2018 at 6 p.m. (above) and Friday, Aug. 3, 2018 at 6 a.m. (below). |
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An upper-level trough along the Pacific Northwest
coast will result in breezy westerly winds for most of the east side of the Cascades.
This trough will push some marine air into the region dropping temperatures
closer to seasonal averages. However, the models suggest that air quality will
remain in the moderate to unhealthy category for the region throughout the
daytime hours on Thursday. The High-Resolution Rapid
Refresh Model model forecasts that air
quality will improve slightly throughout the evening hours on Thursday into
Friday morning, with good air quality possible for central and northeastern
parts of the region, but unhealthy or unhealthy for sensitive groups air
quality will likely continue for the next 24 to 36 hours in Klamath County and
Lake County.
Accordingly, the air
quality alert for Klamath County and Lake County in effect since 10 a.m. on
Wednesday, Aug. 01, 2018 will remain in place.
Disclaimer: Forecasting weather, fire behavior, and smoke transport and dispersion is challenging. While we strive to bring you the most up-to-date and accurate forecasts, conditions can and do change rapidly. Please take the appropriate action to protect yourself.