Seattle's Air Quality Worst In The World As Smoke Chokes Puget Sound

SEATTLE — Puget Sound residents awoke to another day of putrid air Wednesday as smoke from nearby wildfires continued to choke the region, degrading air quality to the "unhealthy and "very unhealthy" range across the state's three most populous counties.

The Swiss-based international air monitoring firm IQ Air ranked Seattle's air as the worst of any major city in the world Wednesday afternoon, averaging 236 AQI — nearly halfway between the benchmarks for very unhealthy and hazardous air. To Seattle's south, Portland ranked seventh-worst on the list.

Air quality was even worse to Seattle's north and east, especially for communities along the Cascade foothills and nearest to wildfires like the Bolt Creek and Loch Katrine. AQI readings dipped well into the hazardous range Wednesday in places like Snoqualmie, Gold Bar and Leavenworth, along with Eastside cities like Redmond and Kirkland.

Many school districts, including Seattle Public Schools, kept kids inside and canceled outdoor activities, following recommendations from the state Department of Health to limit students' exposure to unhealthy air.

Air quality forecasters expect light winds will slightly improve conditions Thursday, landing in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" range, but real relief looks unlikely to arrive until Friday. That's when the first of two incoming storm systems is due, bringing with it the first meaningful rainfall since early summer.

According to the National Weather Service, Seattle, Tacoma and Everett could see up to an inch of rainfall between Friday morning and Saturday morning. Forecasters expect the abrupt shift in weather will make quick work of the remaining smoke, and the much-needed precipitation should help tamp down the wildfires burning on the west side of the Cascades.