Seattle air quality worst among major world cities Sunday night; expected to improve Monday
A weekend of smoky skies is expected to clear out over the first few days of the work week.
SEATTLE — Seattle saw air quality levels among the worst in the world on Sunday as wildfires burn all around the Pacific Northwest, but the Emerald City’s air is expected to improve as the work week begins Monday.
Winds shifted overnight Friday into Saturday morning, bringing smoke into western Washington, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA). Wildfire smoke reached the north Sound on Saturday morning and continued to move south throughout the day.
According to PSCAA’s air quality map, much of Seattle reached “unhealthy” levels for all groups Sunday afternoon. Seattle ranked atop the world’s major cities with the worst air quality index (AQI) of 183 at one point Sunday evening, according to IQ Air.
Smoke from fires that have burned more than 10,000 acres in Spokane County has been pushed west across the state towards western Washington by activity from Hurricane Hilary on the lower West Coast near Mexico and California.
Relief will come to the Washington coast first before pushing into Puget Sound and the foothills.
An approaching system will flip winds back onshore overnight Sunday into Monday bringing cooler air and slowly improving the air quality as the smoke is pushed out of the area. It’ll be a slow process in the air quality improvements throughout the day Monday–air quality improves from west to east.
Air quality health impacts
Isha Khanna, air resource specialist with PSCCA, said people could potentially feel some health impacts if exposed to the air quality, especially people in sensitive groups.
“When I say sensitive population it’s anyone, infants, children, people over 65 or those with any preexisting health conditions,” Khanna said.
While people in sensitive groups may feel impacts from poor air quality more quickly, prolonged exposure to unhealthy air can have negative impacts on anyone.
Negative symptoms include chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, irritated sinuses, stinging eyes and trouble breathing.
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