One More Day Of Smoke Before Relief Arrives: Puget Sound Forecast

SEATTLE — Air quality quickly worsened Wednesday for portions of Western Washington, thanks to easterly winds pushing in more smoke from the Bolt Creek Fire and a strong temperature inversion trapping bad air at ground level.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency said air quality readings degraded to the "unhealthy" level from just south of Everett to downtown Seattle and much of the Eastside by Wednesday morning. Fortunately, relief is in sight, but smoke impacts will briefly affect more areas as the flip from offshore to onshore flow starts to clear the air.

"We expect a decent westerly and [northwesterly] breeze to develop [this morning] which should push the smoke out of the area by late afternoon," the agency wrote Wednesday. "So, all of King and Pierce county are likely to see [moderate] or [unhealthy for sensitive groups] as the smoke moves south and east."

As ocean air makes a welcome return, the National Weather Service expects Thursday to feel a lot different than Wednesday — just in time for fall's formal arrival.

"With onshore flow returning, widespread clouds and cooler conditions are expected Thursday throughout the interior with temperatures hovering in the upper 60s to low 70s," said Kayla Mazurkiewicz, an NWS Seattle meteorologist. "Expect the haze and smoke that was previously in the area to push eastward with this push as well."

Find the latest air quality forecasts via the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Washington Smoke Blog. Residents can track live conditions using the AirNow tool.