Air high quality is quickly enhancing west of the Cascade crest because the easterly (from the east) airflow has been changed with southerly (from the south) winds aloft. And the change of wind path and elevated humidity ought to enable speedy management of the Bolt Creek fireplace close to Route 2.
This morning clouds and wildfire smoke is discovered aloft over our area…and you may thank California for a lot of that!
First, the air high quality state of affairs.
The most recent AIRNOW map exhibits good air high quality on the southwest Washington coast (inexperienced) and reasonable ranges (yellow and orange) round Puget Sound. Poor air high quality is discovered close to the Canadian border, however that ought to blow north in the course of the subsequent few hours. Air high quality is barely barely excessive over the jap slopes of the Washington Cascades….sadly, which will worse in the course of the subsequent day.
You may get a greater thought of the developments of air high quality (really focus of small particles–PM2.5) from a plot courtesy of the Puget Sound Clear Air Company. This exhibits particle concentrations at Seattle, Lake Forest Park (north of Seattle) and Bellevue. A peak yesterday (significantly at Lake Forest Park downwind of the Bolt Creek fireplace), however a serious decline this morning by roughly 75%.
And there are some clouds aloft and even a couple of sprinkles this morning. To understand that, check out the newest regional seen satellite tv for pc picture. You’ll be able to see the middle-level clouds (actually white objects with shadows) and plenty of low clouds over the Pacific. Smoke (center grays) is admittedly apparent over jap WA and OR, in addition to the central Oregon Cascades.
The clouds, embedded in southerly stream, will be traced all the way in which again to Hurricane Kay off of southern California. An infrared satellite tv for pc picture (under) exhibits this. No want for a tropical trip…the tropics are coming to you!
And a whole lot of the smoke over our area (primarily aloft) can also be from California (see NOAA HRRR Smoke forecast for this morning), with a lift from the Cedar Creek fireplace in Oregon.
Meteorologically, the important thing elements controlling our enhancing state of affairs are the inland motion of the area of excessive strain (the ridge) inland and the strategy of low strain offshore. The climate map for roughly 5000 ft (850 hPa strain) at 11 AM immediately (Sunday) exhibits the state of affairs. The result’s elevated airflow within the decrease environment from the south and southwest.
Because of this, the newest HRRR smoke forecast is for the smoke to maneuver out of western Oregon and Washington at low ranges (8 PM tonight proven). In case your stay in Puget Sound nation or Portland you’ll breathe nicely tonight. However our boon will convey declining air high quality east of the Cascades. Sorry.
There are a whole lot of classes from this occasion. We had been in a position to forecast the potential hazard (sturdy, dry easterly winds) with nice talent. Portland Gasoline and Electrical strategically de-energized energy traces, and at this level I’ve heard of no new fires down there.
The west-side fires occurred in precisely the interval they’ve all the time executed (late summer season) and beneath precisely the state of affairs that’s typical…sturdy easterly stream. Clearly, the Bolt Creek fireplace was human-caused, which suggests we have to get the message out extra clearly about taking nice care throughout such (brief) threatening intervals. Sure media have been pushing a worldwide warming connection, however I ought to observe that this isn’t clear: the newest regional local weather simulations counsel that sturdy easterly stream throughout this time of the yr will weaken beneath world warming. One other necessary subject is the situation of the forests that burned….however that evaluation will wait for one more weblog.
