The Air Quality Alert issued to Central and Eastern Washington has been extended through noon on Wednesday. Wildfire smoke should gradually clear out by the second half of the week, courtesy of the rain and a shift in our weather pattern.
Remnants of hurricane Hilary will continue to impact the Inland Northwest into Tuesday, delivering much needed rain for active wildfires. Flood watches are in place through Tuesday evening for those areas expected to see the highest rain totals in extreme SE Washington and North Idaho Panhandle. Expect rises in creeks, rivers and streams, as well as the potential for rock slides and mud flows.
A system sliding by to the north will shift winds Wednesday to a south/southwesterly flow, sustained at 15 mph and gust to 20-25 mph. The combination of breezy winds and dry air will make things tough for our firefighters, creating the potential for increased fire danger and rapid fire spread.
Please keep it tuned to nonstoplocal.com for the very latest information, as we are doing our best to get you “real time” updates as they come into the newsroom.
