Guidelines & Tools

Guidelines for Developing an Air Quality (Ozone and PM2.5) Forecasting Program

Published
2003
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This document provides guidance to help air quality agencies develop, operate, and evaluate ozone and PM2.5 forecasting programs.  

This guidance document provides: 

• Background information about ozone and PM2.5 and the weather's effect on these pollutants. 

• A list of how air quality forecasts are currently used. 

• A summary and evaluation of methods currently used to forecast ozone and PM2.5. • Steps to develop and operate an air quality forecasting program. 

• Information on the level of effort needed to set up and operate a forecasting program. 

 

The intended audience of this document is project managers, meteorologists, air quality analysts, and data analysts.  The information presented in this document is based on literature reviews and on interviews with air quality forecasters throughout the US.