Expect the blanket of smoke over the metro area to reduce visibility through the morning commute and linger into lunchtime.
By the weekend, cooler, cleaner marine air will finally filter into the Puget Sound Basin, but it's going to be a slow process.
And while those changing winds will bring relief west of the Cascades, they'll also accelerate through the Cascade gaps and fan the flames of ongoing wildfires off the east slopes.
Around Seattle, it was smokier Thursday morning than it was on Wednesday.
Bellevue, Renton, Sammamish, White Center, Kent, Vashon, Gig Harbor, Tacoma, Arlington, and Bellingham all woke up to thicker smoke.
Air quality is much worse closer to the source, with wildfires burning between Chelan, Lake Wenatchee, Winthrop, and Colville.
Meanwhile, communities along the coast near Grays Harbor are enjoying much cleaner air.
Expect the blanket of smoke over the metro area to reduce visibility through the morning commute and linger into lunchtime.
Thursday afternoon, onshore winds will gradually strengthen, allowing cleaner marine air to push farther inland through both the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Chehalis Gap.
The push just isn't strong enough to quickly scour out all of the smoke. We should notice some thinning of the haze later today, but expect smoky conditions to continue.
That marine push also won't cool Seattle. Lakewood, Olympia, Lacey, Yelm, Tenino, and Centralia are all forecast to reach around 90 degrees, with Seattle close behind.
Along the coast, clouds—and even a few sprinkles—will spread into places like Ocean Shores and Ocean Park.
It's an early sign that the marine layer is gradually working inland and will reach more of the central and south Sound over the next couple of days.
Meanwhile, hazardous smoke from ongoing wildfires will continue to keep air quality unhealthy around Wenatchee and Omak.
If you're there, limit your time outdoors, avoid strenuous activity, and take extra precautions to protect your lungs, especially during the afternoon heat.
The onshore push strengthens a bit more on Friday.
Again, it won't be enough to completely clear the smoke or end the warmth around Seattle, but we'll continue making progress.
Temperatures ease down a few degrees Friday, and air quality should improve a little more, though haze will likely still hang over the region.
By Saturday, the marine push makes more progress. Morning marine clouds return, temperatures become noticeably milder, and air quality should improve significantly by the end of the day for most of the metro area.
The downside? Those same winds bringing relief west of the Cascades will funnel through the mountain passes and accelerate down the east slopes.
Gusts over 40 mph are possible Friday and Saturday, increasing the risk of rapid wildfire growth and the development of new fires.
The prevailing wind direction will carry most of that additional smoke farther east instead of back toward Western Washington.
Cities farther east, like Cle Elum and Ellensburg, should also see some improvement in air quality as the marine air works inland. Areas closer to active wildfires, however, will likely remain smoky.
