WA — Today is a PinPoint Alert Day as the hottest weather we’ve seen so far this month settles into Western Washington.
Temperatures are climbing quickly this afternoon, with Seattle expected to hit around 90° for the first time this month. Many locations south of Seattle and near the Cascade foothills will push into the lower and even middle 90s. Wednesday looks even hotter, with Seattle forecast to reach around 93° before cooler marine air finally begins arriving later in the day. If you’re spending time outside, be sure to drink plenty of water, take breaks in the shade, and don’t leave kids or pets in parked vehicles.
It’s not just the heat we’re watching today. You’ll also notice the sky looking much hazier than it has the past few days as wildfire smoke spreads overhead. The good news is that most of the smoke should remain elevated, but enough of it may mix closer to the surface to lower air quality across the region.
For most of Western Washington, air quality should generally average in the Moderate range through Wednesday. That’s acceptable for most people, but if you’re especially sensitive to smoke, you may want to limit prolonged outdoor activity. The areas with the greatest concern will be north of Everett and near the Cascade foothills and mountains, where smoke has the best chance of reaching the surface. Those locations could see periods of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups air quality, especially through Tuesday night.
So why the heat and haze? A strong area of high pressure is parked over the Pacific Northwest, acting like a lid on the atmosphere. It’s allowing temperatures to soar while also keeping wildfire smoke trapped over the region. Fortunately, much of that smoke remains several thousand feet above the ground, which is why most communities will notice the hazy skies more than unhealthy air.
Relief isn’t too far away. Onshore winds begin increasing later Wednesday, helping push cooler Pacific air back into Western Washington while gradually improving air quality. Then on Thursday, the remnants of former Tropical Storm Elida move toward the coast. The system has weakened considerably, but it could still squeeze out a few showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm, mainly in and near the Cascades. This is not expected to be another widespread lightning event like last week, but any lightning over dry terrain could still spark a new wildfire.
By Friday and into the weekend, we’ll trade the heat for much more comfortable weather. Expect morning clouds followed by afternoon sunshine, with highs mainly in the 60s along the coast and north interior and 70s elsewhere. The return of marine air should also sweep the wildfire smoke out of Western Washington, setting us up for a beautiful weekend.
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