Smoke and Haze in the Snoqualmie Air; Central Washington Wildfires at Fault

Stepped outside this morning in Snoqualmie?  If so, you might think you’re near a camp site as the smell of smoke is in the air today; and still waiting to hear if the smell is as prevalent in the lower valley and North Bend.

Blame an offshore wind flow and the Central Washington wildfires for the white, hazy skies and smokey smell.  Weekend lightening storms triggered many of those wildfires; one of the largest near Wenatchee.  The easterly winds are bringing the smoke into our area.

The Komo Weather Department says, “Air quality is going to be in the moderate category today, due to the fires burning in Central Washington. Some of the smoke will cross over the Cascades; making way for hazy conditions throughout Puget Sound.”  If this morning is an indicator, a lot of the smoke is making its way into the Snoqualmie Valley.

A Red Flag Warning is also in effect through early Friday morning for most the Western Washington lowlands.  That means extreme wildfire conditions exist and would spread rapidly given these weather conditions.

Wildfire haze evident in morning sunrise over Mt. Si

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  • Over here in North Bend near I-90 and exit 32 it’s very smoky and the air quality seems pretty poor…

    1. Komo weather producer Scott Sistek emailed me that theair quality was moved to “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” but says the wind direction should change to westerly this afternoon to help the situation.

  • I live in Carnation. 75 foot elevation and the narrowest part of the Valley so the haze hangs out here. Real no man’s land for air quality maps and TV weather reports. We have hottest temps and eleven inches more rain yearly average than Seattle. Fall City has even more.
    Our valley is along the Cascade foothills. From Duvall to North Bend our five communities need to be included with important information of weather and air quality.

  • Living Snoqualmie