Smoke and heat ahead again — is this the last round for the South Sound before fall?
South Sound residents without air conditioning are faced with a choice this weekend: Keep windows closed to shut out smoke or open them to let in breezes.
Heat, smoke from distant fires and increased fire danger are all in the forecast Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. A heat advisory has been issued from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening for all of western Washington.
Heat
Highs are forecast to be in the mid and upper 80s for Tacoma on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s high in Olympia will be in the 90s, said NWS meteorologist Kirby Cook. Sunday’s high will drop to 86 in Olympia on Sunday.
“The warmer areas are going to be in Olympia and south,” he said. But valleys in eastern Pierce County could also reach into the 90s.
People without adequate cooling and those sensitive to heat will be at risk for health complications, the NWS said.
“The heat by itself at this time of year would be considered a marginal event,” the NWS said in an advisory. “However, with smoke and haze in the air there is concern that the most vulnerable populations without A/C (specifically those with underlying health conditions) may be reluctant to open windows during overnight hours.”
Smoke
In Pierce County, air quality levels were considered unhealthy, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. Cook said smoke is affecting the region from Tacoma north to the Canadian border.
“That’s a function of the smoke that’s streaming in from fires in the north Cascades,” he said.
Off shore winds are sweeping the smoke into Puget Sound but that could change early next week.
Fire danger
The forecast calls for dry and breezy conditions across western Washington this weekend. Combined with already dry fuels, fire danger remains high and reaches near critical on Sunday, the NWS said. Relative humidity will be low across the Cascades.
There’s also a slight chance of thunderstorms on Sunday, the NWS said. Lightning strikes will further add to wildfire danger. Possible thunderstorms are also forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
A storm system hitting the coast late Sunday night and inland areas early Monday morning should clean the air out and bring a little rain, Cook said.
“That’s going to help push the smoke east of the Cascades,” he said.
Temperatures should drop beginning Monday and stay cooler through the week.
This story was originally published August 26, 2023 at 12:27 PM.
