SEATTLE — Wildfire smoke began moving into western Washington Thursday night, impacting air quality.
Winds are expected to shift northeasterly, bringing smoke from wildfires burning in British Columbia and the North Cascades, according to KING 5 Meteorologist Christopher Nunley.
It’s not clear how bad air quality could be over the weekend, but it is expected to worsen between Friday and Sunday. Nunley said air quality is not expected to be as poor as it was last weekend when Seattle's air quality was unhealthy for everyone.
The northwest interior is expected to be most impacted by the smoke as it’s closest to the wildfires.
An area of low pressure that’s hovering off the Pacific coast and high pressure over British Columbia and Alberta could impact how bad the wildfire smoke will be this weekend. Depending on how strong the northeast winds become and how much smoke is being produced by the fires, the smoke might not be as thick as last Sunday.
If any new wildfires pop up over the weekend in Washington, that could also impact air quality. A small chance of thunderstorms in the Cascades on Friday will elevate fire potential, Nunley said.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect until Friday at 5 p.m. for the west slopes of the central Cascades above 1,500 feet. This warning could be expanded or extended depending on conditions.
Relief from the smoke is expected to arrive early next week. Onshore flow picks up Monday, bringing cleaner air with it. Any lingering smoke is expected to exit Tuesday as cooler temperatures and wet conditions are ushered in.