We’re waking up to another smoky start across Western Washington, with air quality ranging from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups, and some locations briefly reaching the unhealthy category. While there are still pockets of better air, more communities are dealing with reduced air quality this morning than cleaner conditions.
Today remains another PinPoint Alert Day because of the combination of wildfire smoke and warm temperatures. The good news is we’re beginning a gradual improvement. Winds have shifted onshore, cutting off the supply of new smoke from eastern Washington. However, those winds are still fairly light near the surface, so the smoke already in place will be slow to clear. Upper-level haze should thin out first, while the smoke trapped closer to the ground lingers through much of today.
Even with the smoke, temperatures will climb into the 80s across much of the region, with a few communities south of Puget Sound possibly approaching 90 degrees.
By Friday, air quality should continue to improve as a stronger marine push helps bring in fresher Pacific air. Some haze may still be noticeable, but conditions should be much better than they’ve been over the past few days.
One concern shifts east of the Cascades Friday, where strengthening westerly winds combined with low humidity will elevate the fire danger and could lead to rapid fire spread.
The weekend looks much more comfortable for Western Washington, with mostly sunny skies, highs in the 70s and lower 80s, and continued improvement in air quality. That quieter weather pattern should carry into early next week.
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