West Seattle smoke: ‘Conditions may start to improve Wednesday’

That’s the view West Seattle pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen had of our peninsula last night … you can only imagine what it looks like tonight. Earlier today, he did get to fly above the wildfire smoke – here’s Mount Rainier (elevation 14,400+ feet) peeking above:

The National Weather Service’s “special weather statement” about the smoke does offer a bit of hope: “Conditions may start to improve Wednesday as an upper level trough begins to approach the area…bringing a better chance for increased onshore flow.” Meantime, Twitter users have been providing photographic perspective:



About the smoke itself – lots of updated info on the Washington Smoke Information website.

6 Replies to "West Seattle smoke: 'Conditions may start to improve Wednesday'"

  • Mouth breather August 14, 2018 (9:34 pm)

    I’m afraid this will be the new normal for Seattle summers.

  • dsa August 15, 2018 (1:21 am)

    “New” is the issue.  We as a society have to learn how to get these fires put out sooner.

    • Tsurly August 15, 2018 (11:24 am)

      Rather than focusing on how to put them out, how about focusing on the idiots who cause them? 8/10 wildfires are caused by humans. Let’s focus efforts on the Aholes who throw cigarettes out the window, fail to extinguish campfires and light fireworks in dry areas.

  • TJ August 15, 2018 (8:00 am)

    This will be the new normal because the forest service has stopped most fire prevention methods, mainly removing overgrown underbrush and thinning fire prone areas. Also, they do not fight fires in remote areas as agressively as in the past. 

  • MJ August 15, 2018 (12:03 pm)

    TJFires are an important element in maintaining a healthy forest.  Aggressive fire suppression has left the forest full of kindling.  Fighting man made and fires near people is appropriate, but let natural fires burn deep in the forest is appropriateMJ

  • anonyme August 15, 2018 (12:39 pm)

    This will be the new normal for a lot of reasons, but primarily due to the elephant in the room: climate change.  The time for denial has long passed.

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