One more chorus of ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’

More smoky haze is forecast for the Tri-Cities at least through the weekend.

But with luck, the air quality may not deteriorate as much as it did earlier this month when smoke from British Columbia fires smothered the region.

Thursday night about 9 p.m. Benton Clean Air Agency’s monitors showed air quality rated as “unhealthy” based on Washington State Department of Ecology standards. An air monitor in Mesa also showed unhealthy levels of smoke in the air.

But a breeze came up and blew much of the smoke out, leaving air quality rated as “good” for most of Friday.

If breezes help or hurt, depends on whether they are blowing smoke in or out of the region.

“Once again we are at the mercy of regional wildfires,” said Alex Sligar, air quality specialist with the Benton Clean Air Agency.

The current concern is smoke from Oregon wildfires blowing over the Tri-Cities through the weekend and possibly longer.

The smoke might linger early in the work week as high temperatures are forecast to climb from the low 90s Saturday to 100 degrees Monday and Tuesday.

Temperatures should drop back to the mid 90s for the rest of the work week.

As winds shift, there also is a risk that some smoke from Idaho fires could blow over the region, said Ranil Dhammapala, atmospheric scientist for the Department of Ecology.

He’s also watching for an increase in ozone in the Tri-Cities. Hot weather and light winds from the north can trap ozone against the Horse Heaven Hills, causing throat irritation and tearing of eyes.

Overall, he’s not expecting the air quality to deteriorate below the level considered “moderate,” however.

Air quality should improve as fall gets closer, according the National Weather Service. More weather systems should move through the area to keep smoke clear as the season changes.

This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 6:18 PM with the headline "One more chorus of ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’."