As the days of smoke-filled air from ongoing wildfires in the Cascades continue, air quality in Seattle remains an issue.
The city ranked fifth worldwide for poor air quality and pollution as of Wednesday morning, according to IQAir, a Swiss air-quality technology company that also operates a real-time air-quality information platform. Portland and Vancouver, B.C., also ranked in the Top 10, along with cities in China, India and Pakistan.
The unhealthy air quality means all adults should avoid unnecessary time outside. People with heart and lung disease, people over 65 or under 18, pregnant people and outdoor workers are generally more at-risk when breathing in smoke, according to the state Department of Health.
Winds from the Pacific Ocean are expected to bring rain and cleaner air to the Seattle area by Friday and push out some of the smoke, said Jacob DeFlitch, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Temperatures are expected to drop and hang around the mid-50s through the weekend. Rainfall may be as much as a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch.
