About FireAQ Weekly Briefing Meetings​


To broaden engagement with the scientific community and end user organizations, the FireAQ team in the University of Iowa plans to hold weekly meetings via Zoom to provide weekly update and outlook of fires and air quality in US. The objectives for these meetings include: ​

  1. a retrospective analysis for the AQ the week back and an outlook of the AQ a week ahead ​
  2. Q/A and discussions with stakeholders
  3. possible presentations on any aspect of the related science, case studies, or local/regional AQ event by the stakeholders and community members


SUBSCRIBE
If you wish to be notified of upcoming meetings please email: fireaq+subscribe@googlegroups.com and follow the prompts in the email.​


ORGANIZATION
Mondays at 12 pm CDT during fire seasons (can vary per year).
Further details can be found in the briefing announcement. ​

Past Weather and AQ Slides

Presentation Date Summary
Oct 10, 2023

In general, the US air quality is not being impacted by wildfire smoke. A few patches of moderate air quality are present in the Southern US. Smoke transport form Montana and Georgia fires are forecasted to impact AQ to the south east and north east,respectively. Likely chances of rain in the Central US and snow in the Northwestern US. Wildfires in B.C. Canada will not impact local AQ. Likely chances of rain ahead of strong low pressure systems and warm fronts in the Central and Northeastern US. Smoke transport from Canadian wildfires is not predicted to impact the US.

Oct 02, 2023

In general, the US air quality is not being impacted by wildfire smoke. A few patches of moderate air quality are present in the Central and Eastern US. Likely chances of rain ahead of the cold front in the Central US and snow in the Northwestern US. Canadian wildfires are predicted to subside. However, aged smoke off shore the east coast is forecasted to be transported back on shore in the southern US and potentially have a moderate impact to air quality in the region. Forecasted low pressure aloft with strong winds over Canada and northern US coupled with a high pressure system at the surface could transport smoke into the US if any wildfires were to begin.

Sept 25, 2023

Smoke from Canadian wildfires is being transported north and is not impacting air quality in the US; however, southern CA fires are impacting the local region. Cooler temperatures and likely chances of rain around cold fronts in the northwest and central US through Wednesday. Smoke transport from northern Canada (B.C. and Alberta) is not predicted to impact the US air quality. A forecasted low pressure aloft over northwest US with strong winds northeast coupled with cold fronts at the surface along the trough suggest little impact to the US air quality should Canadian fires persist; however, the high pressure system over the northeastern US could promote transport to the surface should smoke appear a loft.

Sept 18, 2023

Smoke from Canadian wildfires is being transported northeast and is not impacting air quality in the US; however, fires in northern California/Oregon, and fires in Kansa/Nebraska are impacting the local region.Chances of rain may help contain the fires over British Columbia and Kansas. Smoke transport from Canada is not predicted to impact the US air quality. The impacts of fires in northern California/Oregon are predicted to be local. A surface high pressure system over Canada could promote smoke transport into the north of US (including Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota).

Sept 11, 2023

Smoke from Canadian wildfires is being transported north and is not impacting air quality in the US; however, northern CA fires are impacting the local region. Cooler temperatures and likely chances of rain around cold fronts from the southern to northeastern US through Wednesday. Smoke transport from Canada (B.C. and Alberta) is not predicted to impact the US air quality. A low pressure system aloft over Canada is forecasted to extend into the northern US and could shift smoke transport further south. At the surface a stable high pressure system in the region could promote smoke transport to the surface and impact the air quality in the northern to central US.

Aug 28, 2023

Smoke form wildfires in northern Alberta/Sask. Canada is being transported south and impacting air quality in the north central US. Northern California air quality is also impacted by local wildfire smoke. Under warm and dry conditions the Canadian wildfire smoke will most likely continue to be transported further into the Central US ahead of a cold front system. Central CA is forecasted to be impacted by smoke from the Northern CA wildfires. Warm and dry conditions will persist in the Central US. As a stable high pressure system sets up, any smoke already in the region will likely persist through Friday.

Aug 21, 2023

Active fires in B.C. Canada, and WA US continue to cause poor air quality in the region. A combination of persistent smoke transport and stagnate weather are impacting the air quality in the Central and Eastern US. Likely chances of rain are predicted over the PNW along a cold front through Tuesday. A high pressure system over the central and southern US through Wednesday and impacts to air quality from smoke will persist in the region. A stationary front forecasted along the central US along with a low pressure system could help to clear out lingering smoke aloft in the region. Need to keep an eye on potential fires in southern Canada.

Aug 14, 2023

Active fires in southern Ontario Canada could impact the northeast US should wind direction shift. Smoke transport from northern Canada not likely to reach the US. Smoke transport from Oregon fires is predicted to impact northern California air quality at least through Wednesday. Low pressure system sets up over southern Canada Thursday. If smoldering fires pop up in the region, smoke could be transported into the northern US. If the Oregon fires persist, smoke could transported further to the west.

Aug 07, 2023

Active fires in North Dakota (local) and transport from Canadian fires impacting air quality in North Dakota and moderately in north-central US. Cold front sets up along southern Canada coupled with fair weather could promote smoke transport from North Dakota fires into central US on Tuesday. Wednesday rain ahead of a southern warm front in Central US could dampen transport and help improve the air quality. Keep an eye on the transition from cold to warm fronts may push back on smoke transport from Canada into the northern US.

July 31, 2023

Pocket of unhealthy air quality around Los Angeles CA under local fire conditions. Stationary front along NW to SE US separating high pressure systems with little chance of rain.​ Likely chance of rain over the SW US while stationary front persists. Unlikely chance of any smoke transport from any western US fires inland (at least to the surface). A cold front, followed by a high pressure system, sets up in the northern US while a warm front is situated over southern US. Central US could see smoke aloft should Canadian fires persist, with a chance of transport to the surface. ​

July 24, 2023

Moderate to Unhealthy air quality will persist through the day in the Central US with a pocket of very unhealth air quality in central Oregon. Forecasted stationary fronts through northwestern and central US through Wednesday (July 26) could lead to worsening air quality in the western US should wildfires persist. High temperatures and dryer conditions in much of the US through Friday July 28. Stationary fronts in the western US and high pressure system could limit transport to the Central US.

July 17, 2023

Today a band of poor air quality will persist through the central US and as smoke continues to be transported from the northwestern Canadian fires. Tuesday and Wednesday the cold front will continue to move south with a likely chance of rain behind the front. The eastern US will continue to experience moderate to unhealthy air quality. Thursday brings likely chances of rain and a low pressure system and forecasted improvement to air quality in the eastern US.

July 10, 2023

Rain throughout the Central US over the weekend improved the air quality to start the week. Likely chance of rain along the front in the central US will suppress smoke transport from the north western Canadian fires. Should the fires persist through the week, the central US could see more smoke transport and worsening of air quality by the weekend as a high pressure system moves in.