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Air quality now good for most of Western Washington as first fall storm moves in

SEATTLE — After having the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday and Thursday, air quality is good for most of the area Friday morning, with pockets of moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups in Snohomish County.

A cold front is already pushing some rain into the coast Friday morning and it will move rain and wind over all of Western Washington.

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This will be our first fall storm, but it’s not really a strong storm. Rain will increase and stick around for most of the day, tapering off a bit and moving farther south Friday evening. Expect gusty to breezy wind around 10 to 25 mph with stronger wind gusts near the water to the north. Highs drop a lot into the low to mid 50s.

Rainfall with this Friday-Saturday weather system will average 0.50″ to 0.75″ in most lowland locations, with isolated higher amounts.

One to three inches of rain will fall in the mountains below about 3,500 to 4,000 feet elevation with first snows of the season for the higher peaks and passes. Two to four inches of snow could fall at Stevens Pass with possibly more at Mount Baker and Paradise.

This precipitation will greatly help bring the wildfire situation to a close, though flash flooding on burn scars is possible.

At Snoqualmie Pass, rain looks most likely but there could be some snow mixed in too. Travel impacts should be minimal through the passes, unless flooding occurs on and near a burn scar.

On Saturday, it will be wet in the morning, but the rain will taper to spotty showers with sunbreaks in the afternoon. Sunday looks mainly dry, but clouds will increase late in the day. Highs this weekend will be in the 50s.

Another weather system brings some more rain showers and mountain snow Sunday night into early Monday with the chance for more weather systems next week, though timing is very uncertain beyond the weekend.