Winds Bring Smoky Skies, High Temps Later This Week

SEATTLE — A combination of wildfire smoke and high temperatures make for an unpleasant forecast this week across western Washington.

A number of large wildfires have sparked up in central and eastern Washington, and an easterly wind has spread smoke from those fires across the western half of the state— enough smoke that the National Weather Service advised residents to close their windows late Monday night.

In King County, concerned residents reportedly flooded 911 dispatchers Monday night with calls about smoke and fire.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is advising those sensitive to the smoke to stay indoors, and even healthy adults are being asked to take it easy during the smoky weather.

Winds from the east will continue to blow smoke in through Tuesday at least. Forecasters predict winds ranging from 15 to 25 miles per hour, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph. They say the strongest winds are expected to peak around Tuesday morning before evening off.

And while the big story is fires out east, there is a large danger that more fires could spark up in the west as well. Fire danger is expected to peak Tuesday and Wednesday, with a low relative humidity making for dry, dangerous conditions. A red flag warning has been put into effect for almost all of western Washington. It will remain in effect until 11 p.m. Thursday.

As the wind begins to die down Tuesday, the heat will really start to crank up. Forecasters say to expect temperatures in the 80s to low 90s all across Western Washington on Wednesday and Thursday. Temps could even reach into the mid 90s in places away from the Puget Sound and south of Olympia.

Fortunately for those sensitive to the heat, temperatures are expected to cool off some by Friday or Saturday, but will remain above normal through the weekend.