The Brief
- Western Washington will remain hot and hazy through Thursday under a Heat Advisory, with wildfire smoke keeping inland temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s by blocking some incoming sunshine.
- A push of cooler marine air arriving Thursday night and Friday will help clear surface-level smoke, improving overall air quality heading into the weekend.
- The weather pattern will transition into a typical August setup by the weekend, bringing closer-to-average summer temperatures in the mid-70s to mid-80s inland.
SEATTLE – Relief is in sight from the smoky conditions in Western Washington, but Thursday will remain hot and hazy.
Wildfire smoke remains trapped over Western Washington and will continue to be part of the forecast through Thursday. While temperatures will stay well above average, the smoke is actually preventing the region from reaching its full heating potential by blocking some incoming sunshine.
Thursday will be the hottest day of next week, with many inland communities climbing into the upper 80s and lower 90s. Along the coast, temperatures will stay much more comfortable, topping out in the 70s and lower 80s. Overnight lows will remain mild, in the 50s and lower 60s.
A heat advisory remains in effect through Thursday evening for much of Western Washington.
Smoke relief arrives Thursday night and Friday
The ridge of high pressure bringing the heat begins sliding east Thursday, allowing a push of marine air to move inland.
That will shave a few degrees off afternoon temperatures, although you shouldn’t expect a dramatic cooldown. Most inland locations will still reach the upper 70s to upper 80s Friday afternoon, while coastal communities cool into the upper 60s and 70s.
Smoke & air quality in Western Washington
Smoke will remain one of the biggest weather stories through Thursday.…