Seattle is in for a sunny, warm Thursday with a high near 83°F, but patchy wildfire smoke is keeping our air quality degraded into the afternoon, so it’s worth shifting strenuous outdoor plans to the morning or evening. Northwest wind stays light at 1 to 5 mph, and the overnight low drops to near 60.
Today’s Setup
The National Weather Service Seattle office says an upper-level ridge sits over the region today, and light winds aloft aren’t strong enough to clear out the smoke, so skies look hazy even with sun overhead. Stratus is hugging the coast and retreating by midday, but that stays well west of Puget Sound and won’t affect the city directly.
Best Window To Be Outside
Forecasters expect stronger onshore flow to build in tonight as the ridge and surface trough shift east of the Cascades — that’s what should finally start scouring out the low-level smoke overnight. If you’re headed to Green Lake, Alki Beach, or Discovery Park, morning before the smoke thickens or after sunset once onshore flow kicks in are your best bets today.
Smoke, Air Quality And What To Wear
With degraded air quality expected through the afternoon, anyone with asthma or sensitive lungs should consider an N95 respirator mask smoke for extended time outside, especially if you’re mowing the lawn or working in the yard. Otherwise, light layers work fine — near-83°F highs with low humidity mean sunscreen and hydration matter more than jackets. Fishing off a dock on the Sound this evening? A UPF 50+ Sun Hoodie is a smart, affordable add for sun protection, and it’s just $5 right now.
Big Weekend Ahead
Tonight, Santana & The Doobie Brothers play the Oneness Tour at White River Amphitheatre — with clear skies and light wind, it’s a comfortable night for an outdoor show, so Get tickets on SeatGeek if you’re going. Friday, IVE brings the WORLD TOUR to Climate Pledge Arena — check out the IVE WORLD TOUR show, Find tickets on StubHub, and grab an IVE t-shirt or IVE hoodie for the show. Saturday is a big sports day: the Seattle Seahawks host Football Fest and Training Camp at Lumen Field, and the Seattle Mariners take on the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park. Pick up Official team gear on Fanatics before you go, and if you’re tailgating outside Lumen Field, a portable propane grill makes it easy.
Dinner Tonight
With warm, dry weather holding all evening, it’s a good night to fire up the grill or keep it simple with pasta or a stir-fry — either works well. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door, including Amazon Fresh groceries for a quick weeknight meal.
Next Few Days
Friday climbs a couple degrees warmer to near 86°F under continued sun, with onshore flow trying — and mostly failing — to push the marine layer east of Puget Sound, so expect another mild, dry day. Similar conditions carry into Saturday before flow turns more zonal by Sunday, keeping our stretch of dry, seasonable early-August weather going. For updates, check the Seattle weather forecast or browse outdoor gear deals before your next adventure.
