Smoke Forecast: Diminished Chances For Cleaner Air In Washington

SEATTLE, WA — Dreams of clean air were dashed Monday morning after some eagerly anticipated relief from the smoke failed to materialize. Now, forecasters say it could be as late as Friday before we see a major improvement.

"Sad to say, the clearing that should have been here by now is not only tardy but is poofing out as a lackluster weather feature that won't do much for us," the Department of Ecology wrote in a blog post. "The 'cleanest' air in the state right now is Unhealthy air, whereas the model's advertised menu said we should have been seeing substantial improvements along the coast this morning."

Latest: Smoke Warning: Air Quality Alert Extended For Western Washington

Southerly winds ushered the thick pall of smoke into the region Friday, sent from historic wildfires burning in Oregon and California. Detrimental effects to air quality have been seen up and down the West Coast, pushing up into British Columbia and extending out to Idaho and parts of Montana.

Monday had been widely expected to mark a turning point in Washington, with a frontal system poised to move inland and finally bring much-needed rain to the region. That outlook changed overnight.

Forecasters now say light southerly winds will continue for at least another day, dragging more smoke from the fires up the I-5 corridor. Adding to the disappointment is a weakened weather system offshore, which means a much lower chance for rain.

The National Weather Service has extended an air quality alert into Thursday.

Live updates on air quality can be found via the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, AirNow and Department of Ecology websites, along with the daily smoke forecast. New information will continue to be posted on the Washington Smoke Blog.

Weekend weather helps local firefighting efforts

Cooler air and better humidity this weekend helped firefighters gain the upper hand on the Sumner Grade Fire, which is now 65 percent contained, according to East Pierce Fire. Updated mapping showed the fire at 494 acres in size.

A phased re-entry plan went into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday. Crews are still evaluating State Route 410 to determine when the highway can reopen for regular use.