Seattle weather: Wildfire smoke lingers Thursday

Seattle weather: Thursday will be warm and hazy

Highs Thursday will again be in the mid to low 80s with sunny skies, but plenty of hazy smoke.

SEATTLE - Warm, hazy sunshine returns to the Puget Sound area Thursday afternoon as wildfire smoke continues to push into Western Washington from Oregon and California.

Thursday will bring patchy morning clouds and plenty of afternoon sunshine, with high temperatures around 80 degrees.

It will be warm and hazy, as smoke moves into Western Washington on Thursday. (FOX 13 Seattle)

Wildfire smoke in Washington

Big picture view:

Hazy sunshine is expected all day Thursday and Friday in Seattle. Smoke has moved into Western Washington from wildfires in California and Oregon.

The good news for the greater Puget Sound area is that the smoke is mainly swirling overhead, and it should not have much effect on our air quality at the surface.

It's a much different story in Central and Eastern Washington. 10 large wildfires are burning east of the Cascades and an "Air Quality Alert" has been issued for all Central and Eastern Washington counties. Surface level smoke will be an issue. When air quality is unhealthy, you should limit time outside and avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

10 large wildfires burning east of the Cascades are producing plenty of smoke. (FOX 13 Seattle)

Extreme heat in Washington

Local perspective:

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a red flag warning for the Cascades and foothills through Wednesday evening because of hot, dry and unstable conditions. Low relative humidity and hot temperatures, along with an unstable atmosphere can cause wildfires to spread quickly.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the Washington Cascades through Thursday evening. (FOX 13 Seattle)

What's next:

Friday, we will get back to a pattern of morning clouds and afternoon hazy sunshine. This will be our last day at 80 degrees for a while.

The weekend and most of the next week will be cloudier and cooler. Light rain showers are possible this weekend and into early next week.

Temperatures will cool this weekend in Seattle, with clouds and rain showers in the forecast. (FOX 13 Seattle)

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