A method of forming a resist on a substrate and processing the resist in a resist processing system having a processing region and a non-processing region which are air-conditioned, the method comprising the steps of, transferring the substrate into the non-processing region, coating the resist on the substrate, exposing the coated resist, developing the exposed resist, subjecting the coated resist at least once, to heat treatment in a period from the transferring step to the developing step, detecting at least once, the concentration of an alkaline component which causes defective resolution of the resist in a processing atmosphere in a period from the transferring step to the developing step, setting a threshold value for the concentration of the alkaline component in the processing atmosphere which causes the defective resolution of the resist, and controlling and changing at least one processing atmosphere in the steps in accordance with a detected concentration of the alkaline component and the threshold value.