Rain - a lot of it - will soon be washing away our smoky skies
The National Weather Service issued a weather alert for smoke in Pierce County Wednesday and on Washington’s coast it issued a special weather statement: rain is coming.
Air quality has taken a dive in Pierce County from excessive wildfire smoke in the region.
On the coast, the Weather Service said up to two inches of rain could fall in the first round of a long spate of storms. Rain, although not as much, will also come to Puget Sound.
Smoky skies
The air quality alert, issued by multiple agencies including the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, is in effect until midnight Thursday. Air quality is expected to remain unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The agencies advised everyone to limit time spent outdoors.
Come Friday, the region’s fire season will see the beginning of its end when at least a week of rain comes to the region.
Rain and cold
The weather statement for Washington’s coastal regions warned of weather not seen there in months.
“The rainy season likely begins in earnest Friday or Saturday as the first in a series of Pacific frontal systems moves across the Pacific Northwest,” the statement said.
Up to half an inch of rain could fall in Puget Sound during the first round of wet weather.
Along with the rain comes a cold front.
Tacoma’s high in the low sixties Wednesday will be a distant memory come Saturday when the high is expected to reach only 48 degrees. The low will be 41 degrees.
While the weather on the coast will be wetter than Puget Sound, it will also be warmer. Saturday’s high for South Bend is forecast to be 56 degrees.
Potential effects
After months of dry weather that put the region in official drought status, the sudden switch to rain could bring problems to the region.
Runoff in burned over land and other areas with poor absorption rates could bring localized flooding.
Storm drains and gutters that haven’t been washed clean in months could clog, adding to the woes.
Oil from vehicles could mix with water on road surfaces to make slippery driving. Statistics show crashes increase on roads experiencing their first day of rain after a dry spell.
“Those are very dangerous days for people to drive,” said Washington State Patrol spokesperson Trooper Robert Reyer. “All that grease turns the road into a very slippery surface.”
While greasy roads aren’t generally as dangerous as icy roads, Reyer said drivers might forget they need to increase their breaking distance.
“What was enough stopping distance for the past three months will probably not be enough starting Friday,” he said.
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 2:36 PM.
