Relief from wildfire smoke was short lived this week. After a small break Thursday, onshore winds brought smoke into Puget Sound from a wildfire on Vancouver Island and the ongoing Maple Fire in the Olympic National Forest.
Air quality levels in most counties across Western Washington returned to "unhealthy" or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" by Saturday.
The air quality is expected to improve throughout the weekend but will remain in the area for several days.
The National Weather Service warned that because wildfires are still burning in Eastern Washington and Canada, the Puget Sound area will continue to see smoke from time to time. The amount of smoke that moves in will depend on the severity of the fires and the direction of the wind. However, until we get substantial rainfall, expect some smoke to pass through.