Prolonged poor air quality in Washington hits highest mark in past decade

SEATTLE — Rain and winds in the Seattle area are a welcome relief as they pushed out wildfire smoke that has clouded the air for weeks on end.

When Seattle recorded the world's worst air quality this week, Washington reached another grim milestone as the duration of exposure to poor air quality hit a 10-year peak.

For the first time in at least a decade, the average number of days with moderate or worse air quality in Washington inched closer to a full month, according to data from the state Department of Ecology.