SAN ANTONIO – Surface smoke is funneling up through Texas courtesy of agricultural burning in Mexico. This will likely lead to a decrease in air quality across parts of South Texas, especially south of San Antonio this week.
KEY POINTS:
- Small dip in air quality expected in San Antonio
- The worst air quality will be found in Deep South Texas, near Brownsville, Corpus Christi and Laredo
- Nothing unusual -- this happens every year
- Agricultural burning in Mexico should end around June
AIR QUALITY
For San Antonio, the air quality has become “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” This means that most of the general population likely won’t experience issues, but those that have unusually sensitive respiratory systems or asthma could find a few problems.
Occasionally, if the smoke is really high, or if it is very humid, the air could become “unhealthy” for the general public.
This is currently forecast for places like Brownsville and Corpus Christi for Wednesday and Thursday. In these areas, folks spending time outdoors may experience allergy-like symptoms.
Here’s a look at the current air quality across the region:
SMOKE CONTRIBUTING TO A HAZY LOOK IN THE SKY
The haze is a combination of thick humidity, low clouds and smoke.
Agricultural burning takes place every year in Mexico, as it helps enhance crops and grasses for pasture. However, the smoke can also help degrade air quality.
WHEN WILL THE SMOKE END?
At least some smoke is expected to hang around for about a month, with higher concentrations when there is a southerly wind combining with thick humidity. The burning should wind down soon. However, with growing season taking over from June to October.
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