‘Super massive’ plume of smoke heading for Western Washington
A “super massive body of smoke” from fires in Oregon and California is expected to move over Western Washington late Thursday, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Forecasters say the smoke will first worsen on the Olympic Peninsula and then move down the Interstate 5 corridor.
So far, most of the wildfire smoke has been too high to create health impacts, but it will soon begin settling downward.
Friday air quality
Air quality is likely to become unhealthy by Friday morning.
In Tacoma, air quality was listed Thursday as unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to the Department of Ecology.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency rated Pierce County’s air quality as moderate.
Weekend forecast
Poor air quality is expected through the weekend, which will bring slightly cooler temperatures.
On Thursday, temperatures rose to 87 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, breaking the daily record. The previous record was 85 degrees in 2007.
By early next week, a system will bring even cooler weather and possible rain, according to the National Weather Service.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 1:49 PM.
