Poor air quality remains, showers possible overnight

There is little change in the smoky pattern that has plagued the region for over a month.  The smoke will continue to provide poor air quality through the weekend and as a result there is an Air Quality Alert in place for the region until at least Sunday. It may be noted that the air quality is better than what we have seen earlier this week, but it is not where we need to be.

There has been some hope that the rain arriving overnight may suppress some of the smoke, but that is not expected.  The rain will be light and spotty along with the chance for some isolated storms. 

The lightning generated by the storms is a concern as the region is still very dry.  Wildfires may ignite and the winds near the storm may fan the flames leading to rapid growth. A Red Flag Warning is in place for the Cascades.

The rain is forecast to taper off by the middle of the day Friday and be followed by a warming trend. Highs over the weekend will reach the upper 80s to low 90s.

The next chance for measurable precipitation will be Tuesday as a cold front pushes through the state.

Stay safe, stay informed.

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