EGLE Meteorologists: Forecasting air quality and protecting Michiganders
Meteorologists from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) don’t tell you if it will rain or snow, be partly cloudy or partly sunny: they forecast air quality year round. There are two pollutants they keep their eyes on. These are ground level ozone and fine dust called PM-2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter).
To notify the public on days when air quality may be hazardous, EGLE meteorologists issue pollution day alerts called “Air Quality Alerts.” An Air Quality Alert will be called when concentrations of pollutants reach certain health-based levels in the air. The name of the alert has changed over the years, but the message remains the same. We want the public to take action to protect themselves, the air, or both. Air Quality Alerts provide information on:
- What pollutant is high (ozone, PM2.5, or both)
- The Air Quality Index (AQI) value and color, and
- Actions the public can take to make sure they and their loved ones are protected.
Ground level ozone
In the warm weather months, high levels of ozone may be seen when weather conditions, along with warm air and sunshine, create perfect conditions for volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides to mix in the air. This creates higher levels of ground level ozone. When that happens, an Air Quality Alert will be called. Ozone season runs from March 1 through October 31.
PM2.5
PM2.5 forecasting is done year round. PM2.5 is made up of very small, fine pieces of dust and particles. These are created by industrial or vehicle emissions, wildfire smoke, or dust that is pulled into the air by certain types of weather. Michigan saw increases in PM-2.5 during the summers of 2023 and 2025 from wildfire smoke. Winter months can also have elevated levels of PM2.5 due to a weather phenomenon called thermal inversions. A thermal inversion happens when a layer of warmer air sits on top of cooler air near the ground and acts like a lid. It keeps the cooler air (and anything in it) trapped near the surface.
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