Air quality, visibility forecasted to improve

Courtesy the World Air Quality Project

The Columbia River Gorge should see more smoke starting to clear out Saturday morning. A slight rain on Friday in The Dalles and a steady dropping of suspended particulate matter have helped both visibility and air quality to some extent.

The Air Quality Index put the Dalles at 74 this afternoon at 2 p.m., Friday, Sept. 18, according to the World Air Quality Project website. That is a”moderate rating,” which is a level above good.

The weather forecast is calling for showers and a few storms along the Cascades that may encroach into Highway 97, according to the National Weather Service. Primary risks will be some gusty outflow winds, locally intense lightning, and possible flooding should a cell favorably track over a burn scar area. Upper level Northwest wind flows tomorrow shifts more westerly on Sunday with cooler temperatures and drying conditions. Confidence is high we will see blue skies by Sunday, though narrow plumes of smoke may still track over local areas, the report states.