California wildfire smoke fouls Whatcom air quality, even in the rain

Whatcom County air quality worsened overnight Wednesday as smoke from California wildfires drifted north.

Rain and wind from a frontal system should clear most of the smoke, pushing it east starting Wednesday afternoon, said meteorologist Reid Wolcott at the National Weather Service in Seattle.

Air quality in Bellingham at 6 a.m. Wednesday was unhealthy for sensitive people, according to data from a measuring station operated by the Northwest Clean Air Agency and reported on its website.

Readings were at the moderate stage in Lynden and air in the Columbia Valley near Kendall was considered good.

“We’ve got a front coming in that should clean it right out,” Wolcott said Wednesday in an interview.

He said the rainy and breezy weather should continue through Thursday, but partly sunny skies are predicted Friday, followed by a sunny to partly sunny weekend with highs near 50.

Wildfire smoke shouldn’t return with the sunshine, Wolcott said, because prevailing winds will blow east toward Las Vegas from Southern and Central California.

This story was originally published November 14, 2018 at 11:05 AM.