More Smoke, Little Rain As Summer Overtime Stretches On In Puget Sound

SEATTLE — It’s almost the middle of October, but Seattle’s marathon of dry, sunny and smoky days shows few signs of letting up. According to the National Weather Service, the Emerald City over the weekend sailed past its record for the most 70-degree days during meteorological fall, logging 31 between Sept. 1 and Sunday.

As of Sunday, Seattle had recorded less than a half-inch of precipitation since the beginning of July, making for the driest such 101-day span since records began in 1945 and placing the city well behind places like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

For those eagerly waiting to break out their sweaters and coats, it may be a little while yet. The Climate Prediction Center’s latest outlooks show probabilities strongly in favor of above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall into at least next week.

According to data from Washington State University, both September and October have seen drought conditions increase, with the entire state now considered abnormally dry and the areas experiencing moderate drought growing by 21 percent.

“It is unusual to see drought grow at this time of year,” WSU wrote Monday. “Wildfires will burn and produce smoke longer than normal. If we have a drier than normal winter, it could have implications for planting in the spring.”

Despite a little help from onshore flow and a small chance for some showers Monday night, forecasters expect wildfire smoke will continue to bring haze and impact air quality in Puget Sound for at least another few days. Air quality readings Monday afternoon ranged from moderate to unhealthy from Tacoma to Everett.

“Evening winds should eventually help improve air quality tonight,” the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency wrote Monday. “More high pressure and dry weather this week means more smoke impacts expected.”

After a brief brush with rain, the rest of this week’s forecast looks to be a virtual carbon copy each day, with patchy overnight fog lasting into the morning, then clearing up for sunny and hazy afternoons. Tuesday looks a little cooler, topping out in the mid-60s, followed by a long string of days in the 70s.

“Upper ridging quickly rebuilds into Western Washington Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night,” NWS Seattle wrote Monday. “After low clouds breakup Wednesday morning, we’ll see another warming and drying trend. This will remain the story well into the extended forecast period.”