Seattle weather: Better air quality and a warm week ahead

Seattle - A very typical mid-August weather pattern has settled in across Western Washington, with morning clouds, afternoon sunshine and temperatures hovering close to normal for this time of year.

It will be comfortably cool tonight with overnight lows in the 50s and increasing marine layer clouds by morning.

Tuesday weather: A little warmer

Tuesday looks quite similar, but the morning marine push isn't expected to be quite as strong. That should allow the clouds to clear more quickly, giving us a little more sunshine and a little more afternoon warming. Highs should climb a degree or two compared to Monday, with most inland locations near seasonal averages.

We are now out of the "heat of the summer" in Seattle. The average high temperature is down to 78 degrees this week, a degree cooler than its peak in late July and early August.

Wednesday: A bit cooler with a few mountain showers

The weather changes slightly Wednesday as an upper-level trough passes just north of the Canadian border. For most of Western Washington, the biggest impact will be cooler temperatures and more morning clouds. Highs will drop into the mid to upper 70s across the Puget Sound lowlands.

The North Cascades could see a few showers, particularly during the afternoon and evening. There's also enough instability in the atmosphere for an isolated thunderstorm or two in the mountains.

The rain threat does not look widespread, but if you're heading into the North Cascades on Wednesday, keep an eye on the sky.

Warming quickly Thursday and Friday

After Wednesday's brief cool-down, high pressure begins to rebuild over the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures will reach the low 80s for most of the central and south Puget Sound areas. The coast will warm into the upper 60s and lower 70s.

Friday looks like the peak of the heat, with inland temperatures reaching the mid to upper 80s.

Still warm this weekend

Temperatures will remain warm this weekend, with inland highs staying in the 80s with plenty of sunshine.

Wildfire & Air Quality Outlook: Central and Eastern WA

The weather pattern will remain mostly dry and warm across Central and Eastern Washington through midweek, which means wildfire concerns will remain elevated.

The biggest weather change comes Wednesday, when the upper-level trough moves across British Columbia. This system could bring some increased instability to the Cascades and northern parts of the state, especially north Central Washington. This instability will bring the chance of isolated thunderstorms in the North Cascades. Dry lightning can quickly create new wildfire starts, especially where fuels remain dry.

Air quality will depend heavily on where active fires are burning and how the winds are blowing. Areas near ongoing fires will likely see degraded air quality all week. The combination of dry fuels, warm temperatures and the possibility of isolated thunderstorms near the Cascades means wildfire concerns remain elevated heading into Wednesday.