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The smoke is here.
A gray haze crept over Western Washington Saturday night into Sunday morning, serving as a reminder we’ve entered the season of wildfires and worsening air quality.
The smoke, which has drifted over from fires in British Columbia, Eastern Washington and the Cascade Mountains, prompted the National Weather Service and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to issue an air quality alert for most of Western Washington that will last until noon Monday.
A red flag warning, which means any fires that develop could spread quickly, is also currently in effect for the western side of the Cascades, said Jeff Michalski, a meteorologist with National Weather Service’s Seattle office. Critical fire conditions are expected to continue near the Cascades on Sunday largely due to dry conditions and fuels, he said.
Ongoing fires and smoke will likely make air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups — an index of 101 to 150 — or worse in the Seattle area as Sunday progresses, he said.
The hazy conditions are expected to settle over the region as the weekend comes to an end, but will likely blow out of the area Monday, Michalski said.
“The wind flow pattern is affecting where the smoke is going,” Michalski said Sunday morning. “The pattern will be turning more westerly as we go into tomorrow, so that should help push some of the smoke out of the area.”
But the exact timing of the wind changes is tricky to predict.
The thick smoke will also likely throw off the Seattle area’s high temperatures Sunday, blocking the sun’s rays from heating the region up into the mid- to high-80s, as predicted, Michalski said.
Instead, Sunday is expected to stay in the 70s in most parts of Western Washington as the “reflection of the smoke bounces some of the energy back out,” he said.
Cooler temperatures should settle in Monday and Tuesday, in addition to high humidity and an overall lower fire threat. There’s also a chance of showers Monday night into Tuesday, with the coast, near the Olympic Mountains, likely to see the most rain, Michalski said.
“It’s not a widespread rain across the region,” he added.
The combination of increased wind and some precipitation should improve air quality in much of the state as the week progresses, but different parts of the region could feel the effects sooner than others, Michalski said.
“Sometimes it’s slower to mix out of the valleys, like near the Cascades, and quicker to improve on the coast,” he said.
Until then, he recommended those who are sensitive to smoke try and stay inside and limit outdoor activity.
Temperatures will likely warm and reach the 80s again by the end of the week.
“We could see another round of elevated fire concerns in the mountains, but the main focus really is early in the week, today and tomorrow, with all the critical fire weather conditions and the smoke,” Michalski said Sunday.
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