What’s Happening Now
2025 Holiday Quiz Answers
Below are the questions and correct answers to last month’s Holiday Quiz.
1. What are two types of raw upper air data formats?
a. Jet stream and typhoon
b. I don’t know
c. Forecast Systems Lab (FSL) and Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA)
d. CalMet and WRF
e. AERMET and AERMINUTE
Answer: c. Forecast Systems Lab (FSL) and Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA)
2. AERMOD is a Gaussian plume model. Who was Gauss?
a. German mathematician who invented Gaussian plume rise [Note: I actually heard a permit applicant’s expert witness state this on the stand once.]
b. German mathematician who developed Arabic numerals
c. German psychologist who founded psychoanalysis
d. Guitarist in German rock band The Scorpions
e. German mathematician, astronomer, geodesist, and physicist, who contributed to many fields in mathematics and science.
Answer: e. German mathematician, astronomer, geodesist, and physicist, who contributed to many fields in mathematics and science
3. By definition, fugitive emissions are those emissions that
a. Cannot be reasonably captured, controlled, and vented
b. Solely contribute to climate change
c. Are terribly odorous
d. Are being pursued by US Marshall Tommy Lee Jones
e. Flunked out of college
Answer: a. Cannot be reasonably captured, controlled, and vented
4. Fugitive emissions can be simulated/modeled as
a. Area sources
b. Volume sources
c. Pseudo-point sources
d. a and c
e. a, b, and c
Answer: e. a, b, and c
5. Name two screening models
a. Giselle Bundchen and Kendall Jenner
b. SCREEN3 and AERSCREEN
c. ISCSCREEN and SLAB
d. ICESCREEN and USCREEN
e. AERMOD and ISCST3
Answer: b. SCREEN3 and AERSCREEN
Congratulations to all who played and won their very own Go BEEST Mode! t-shirt.
New Surface Meteorological Data Format
The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) stopped uploading Integrated Surface Hourly Dataset (ISHD) surface meteorological data as of August 29, 2025. The new surface meteorological data format is referred to as Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) and can be found at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/global-historical-climatology-network-hourly. For those of you who process meteorological data via the AERMET system, it is important to note that the current version of AERMET (v24142) is NOT able to read/incorporate GHCN data. EPA is currently working to add this capability to AERMET. This update will not happen until EPA releases its 2026 AERMOD system update (AERMOD, AERMET, AERMAP, and AERSURFACE) – possibly mid-late spring of 2026. When EPA does release it, we will incorporate it into our AERMET graphical user interface (GUI) ASAP.
*HOT* In the meantime, we are creating a utility that will convert GHCN surface data into ISHD format. Watch this space for more information!
EPA News
EPA has released 3 years (2021-2023) of hourly prognostic outputs from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. These data are at 12 km x 12 km grid cell size resolution, covering the continental US. With this data, users can load the data into the Mesoscale Model InterFace (MMIF) program to generate meteorological inputs for AERMET and AERMOD. Click here to learn more about the data and click here to learn more about/download MMIF.
Conferences and Workshops
106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) – The 106th Annual Meeting of the AMS will be in Houston, Texas at the George R. Brown Convention Center January 25-29, 2026. This meeting will include the 24th Joint Conference on the Applications of Air Pollution Meteorology with AWMA. For more information on the annual meeting, click here.
2026 TCEQ Environmental Trade Fair – This year’s edition of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ’s) Environmental Trade Fair and Conference will once again be held in San Antonio, TX at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center on May 19-20, 2026. Registration has already opened up, so if you want to register or find out more information, check out https://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/events/etfc/etf.html . We’ll be there and hope to see you there, too!
If your company, organization, agency, State, etc. has an upcoming modeling or air quality-related event (virtual or otherwise) and you’d like it publicized in Providence/Oris Notes, please send that information to us at info@providenceoris.com, and we’ll be happy to include it.
Providence Products
Simply the best!
BEEST Suite
BEEST 12.13 is out! This new version fixes bugs that were found in BEEST 12.12.
As always, users in maintenance can download the most recent version of BEEST from https://www.providenceoris.com/software-downloads/.
“Go BEEST Mode !” We still have plenty of Go BEEST Mode t-shirts! You can request one of those by emailing us at info@providenceoris.com.
These stylish shirts seem to be very popular among the modeling community: Go BEEST Mode
AerScreen for Windows
*HOT* AerScreen for Windows 5.0 is now out! This version will have an updated look with these new features:
- Added two tabs to Preferences screen: Display and Other. Display allows selection of font size and a theme. Other allows the selection of the number of recent files, ranging from 3 to 20.
- Sources entry screens (source, building, met, receptors, etc) use on-screen validation. When an invalid value is entered, the textbox is outlined in red, after leaving the textbox.
- Line and Sector graphs changes: Added a check mark in menu options for current selection. Added option of light green in colors. When you click on the color indicator in the Title, it will show/hide the line.
*We presented a webinar on AerScreen for Windows 5.0 on January 8. If you missed it, you can view it here.*
Users in maintenance can download the most recent version of AerScreen for Windows from https://www.providenceoris.com/software-downloads/.
AERMOD Wizard
AERMOD Wizard 1.09 is out and includes these features:
- Updated AERMET version to 23132
- Ability to download all of the EPA 2023 ambient monitoring data
- Ability to export Class I areas and Class I area receptors to Google Earth
- Ability to download ASOS data from the new NCEI website
- Inclusion of the 2020 National Emissions Inventory (NEI) data set (and ability to export them to Google Earth)
New features that will be in AERMOD Wizard 1.10 include:
- AERMET 24142 and AERSURFACE 24142 now supported
- Ability to export circles (e.g., 10km radius circle about a monitor) to Google Earth
- New download routine for Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA) upper air data
- Updated ambient air data (EPA data through November 2025)
- Added an option for specifying thresholds for NEI sources on the Options form
- PM2.5 annual SIL updated in MERPs Analysis form
* Expect to see AERMOD Wizard 1.10 come out very soon! *
Users in maintenance can download AERMOD Wizard from https://www.providenceoris.com/software-downloads/.
We’re off to use the Wizard!
If you have suggestions for an enhancement to any of our modeling software products, please let us know and we’ll do our best to incorporate it into the software ASAP!
Modeling Tip of the Month
To coincide with the release of AerScreen for Windows 5.0, we’ll talk about a couple of the new features in this software. First, there’s the new built-in QA for inputs. That is, if you were to input a non-numeric value into an input field, AerScreen for Windows now shows you before the model is run. For example, if I were to put in a stack height of “35-0” meters, instead of “35.0” meters, here’s what would happen:
I can input 35-0, but as soon as I tab over to another field, AerScreen for Windows outlines the field with the invalid value in red.
I’m now alerted to this issue and can quickly fix it.
After AERSCREEN runs, you can see graphics of the outputs via the Display Line Graph and Display Sector Graph options. With AerScreen for Windows 5.0, you can now customize this display.
In Display Line Graph, you can change the appearance of the concentration and elevation lines, including color, and icon shape. Here’s an example for the concentration line in Display Line Graph:
And you can place your cursor anywhere on the concentration line, and below the x-axis label, AerScreen for Windows will tell you the distance downwind and maximum 1-hour concentration for that distance:
The same options are available for the Elevation display.
The visualization flexibility is also available when using the Display Sector Graph:
Providence Training
Modeling skills ready for an upgrade? We can help!
We want to note that many folks use our classes as credit toward professional engineer continuing education requirements. Check with your state’s licensing board or the National Society of Professional Engineers (see here or here) for more information on what is required.
**NSR Essentials**
Providence’s next NSR Essentials air permitting class will be February 16, 2026 and it will be online. This class is tailored to those folks who are new to air permitting or perhaps new environmental managers who need a good overview of the basic issues related to air permitting. Topics such as statutes, applicability, netting, emission calculations, and Title V are just some of the areas that are covered. To register for this NSR Essentials class, click here.
AERMOD Modeling for Permits
Our first AERMOD Modeling for Permits class of 2026 will be February 17-18, 2026 and it will be online. If you want to get started in air modeling, then this class is for you! If you want to register, please click here.
Advanced AERMOD
Our next Advanced AERMOD class is slated for February 19-20, 2026, and it will also be online.
Advanced AERMOD covers those topics that are near and dear to modelers, such as:
• NAAQS modeling for 1-hour NO2, 1-hour SO2, and 24-hour PM2.5 (including the new MAXDCONT Viewer)
• Meteorological data processing with AERMET/AERMINUTE/AERSURFACE
• Culpability Determination
• Background Concentrations
• Emission scalars and Hourly Emission Rate files
• Changes in Terrain Data Processing and
• AERMOD Wizard and its uses
To register for Advanced AERMOD, please click here.
Just as a reminder, if you register more than 30 days before your training class(es), you will receive a $100 discount on the course fee (per class, per registrant).
2026 Class Dates
Here are all of our training class dates for 2026:
Don’t forget, if our schedule of classes doesn’t mesh with your schedule, or if you have several people that need to be trained at once, contact us about setting up your own onsite or online class. Have laptop, will travel! (including virtually)
Providence Services
BeestXpress
**BeestXpress now runs AERMOD 24142**
If you’ve never used our super-fast cloud-based BeestXpress before, now is the time. We have an on-demand webinar that steps you through the process of setting up an BeestXpress account and sending off your first BeestXpress run. You can view the webinar here. New BeestXpress users can complete their first run with up to 50 partitions absolutely FREE. Instructions about receiving the free run are given at the end of the webinar. Beyond the starter run BeestXpress will give you a per-run cost estimate before you begin. If you need help budgeting for BeestXpress, contact us for additional daily rate pricing options.
To date, BeestXpress has processed over 700,000 AERMOD runs.
BeestXpress users can log on at www.beestxpress.com to take advantage of our AERMOD “force multiplier”. That AERMOD run that might have taken a day or two to process on your desktop computer can finish in an hour or less on BeestXpress. When time is money, BeestXpress is the best modeling return on investment there is!
Meteorological Data Processing Services
Do you need AERMOD-ready meteorological data? If so, we can help! Whether it’s running national weather service data or onsite monitor met data through the AERMET/AERMINUTE system, Providence has the background, know-how, and experience to have your data processed and ready for you ASAP. If you’d like more information, contact us at info@providenceoris.com or jamesred@providenceeng.com.
Consulting Solutions
One thing that we’re very proud of is the depth and range of our modeling experience and expertise. The kinds of air quality models we’ve used include all types, ranging from simple screening tools like SCREEN and AERSCREEN to plume models like ISC and AERMOD. The types of analyses include basic Significant Impact Level, NAAQS, PSD increment consumption, Class I analyses, air toxics and SIP attainment demonstrations. So, we’ve seen it all. To that end, should you or your clients need additional modeling assistance or just a second set of eyes to QA or peer review your modeling (ranging from initial protocol up to final submission), we stand ready to help. Feel free to contact us at 512‑258‑8855, 828‑628‑0634 or info@providenceoris.com.
OR . . . maybe you just need advice about a particular project OR you need someone to do a QA review, OR you have a very small modeling task to complete. It would be too much of a hassle to set up a contract for just a few hours of work. What to do?
Easy! Now you can purchase individual air modeling consulting hours with a credit card online through our website! Just contact us first so we’re on the same page about the scope and schedule. Go to https://www.providenceoris.com/product/1-hour-of-expert-air-modeling-consulting/
For clarity, this small-job purchasing option is for air modeling consulting only. Software customers may receive help from us at any time for software-related issues at no cost (this is included in the maintenance fees). Recent trainees may also call to ask us training-related questions at no cost.
Calendar
106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS)
January 25-29, 2026
Houston, TX
NSR Essentials
February 16, 2026
Online
AERMOD Modeling for Permits
February 17-18, 2026
Online
Advanced AERMOD
February 19-20, 2026
Online
TCEQ Environmental Trade Fair and Conference
May 19-20, 2026
San Antonio, TX
Our complete class schedule can always be found at https://www.providenceoris.com/training/
For More Information:
Phone: (512) 258-8855
Email: info@providenceoris.com
Visit our websites:
www.providenceoris.com (software, support, and training)
www.beestxpress.com (cloud-based high speed AERMOD)
