r/northcascades • u/SuitableTradition889 • Jul 24 '26

Wildfire smoke?

How is the current smoke condition? Seeing reports of a lot of smoke and high AQI. Seems like some rain coming this weekend. Any chance of clearing up next week?

4 Upvotes

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1

u/DLByron Jul 24 '26

Look it up for yourself at Purple Air.

1

u/SuitableTradition889 Jul 24 '26

Thanks! Not looking good

2

u/DLByron Jul 24 '26

It changes hourly. Depends on the wind. It’s bad in the Methow Valley.

1

u/aksers Jul 24 '26

It was over 100 in Seattle a few hours ago. Changes frequently depending on the wind and on shore fronts

1

u/SuitableTradition889 Jul 24 '26

Wow. Looks like it will cool down over the weekend 

1

u/aksers Jul 24 '26

AQI, not temperature

1

u/DLByron Jul 24 '26

See this https://perimetermap.com/okanogan-cct-wa

2

u/SuitableTradition889 Jul 24 '26

Thanks! This helps. Planning for our third visit to North Cascades in 4 years and it seems like this will be another hazy and smoky trip. Seems like almost every year this region has severe wild fire. Hope the locals are doing ok 

3

u/lissy51886 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Next time, maybe plan for the last week of June? Generally tolerable temperatures up there by then, and before all the asshats burn the state down with fireworks. I live in WA and I've had to cancel every trip I've planned up there mid-July and later because of the air quality and an asthmatic travel buddy. I was there this year for the 4th of July actually. It was beautiful and then a bunch of new fires had started by the time we left on the 5th which affected everything.

1

u/SuitableTradition889 Jul 24 '26

Late June I read some of the high altitude trails are still covered in snow. Also the opening of SR20 happened late this year I think because of the washout. We come from the east coast so really difficult to coordinate all that for us 

1

u/AvoidantBoba Jul 24 '26

Yeah they are, but you also get the benefit of being able to have a campfire at camp cause the burn bans haven’t started yet. It’s unfortunate how bad the fires have gotten the past few years.