SEATTLE — October football in Seattle has never felt warmer. The city saw record-breaking heat Sunday as fans packed Lumen Field for the Seahawks game.
Not only did Sunday break the daily high record, but it was also the latest 80-degree calendar day ever recorded.
"I thought we were going to wear coats to the game, and here we are. I'm boiling," said Dan Valdes, a Seahawks fan.
The temperature at Sea-Tac Airport hit 88 degrees on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service said Sunday was the second warmest day in October in almost 130 years. The warmest recorded temperature was 89 degrees on Oct. 1, 1987.
The heat was met with air quality alerts across much of western Washington as smoke filled the Puget Sound region due to several burning wildfires.
Despite the smoke, many looked to take advantage of the summer-like weather. People took to the water on boats and from the shore.
"We came to Lake Union, Discovery Park, and then we came here to the [Ballard] Locks," said Fari Whitman, who spent the day with her two sons. "Wonderful day."
Whitman called the weather unsettling and, like many, hopes the warm October is not a new normal.
"For a one-time event, it's wonderful," Whitman said.
The Department of Natural Resources said a good Pacific Northwest rainstorm will go a long way to prevent the spread of wildfires and smoke. Many enjoying the unseasonable warm say they're ready for a season change.
"The rain is good, and the weather for autumn should come soon," Whitman said.