Seattle has the worst air quality of any major city in the WORLD, falling behind capitals in India and China due to wildfires – as iconic Mount Rainier becomes INVISIBLE behind a layer of smoke
- Seattle had the worst air quality of any city in the world on Wednesday and Thursday this week, beating out usual contenders for the smog crown like Beijing and Delhi
- Seattle’s air quality index hit a whopping 240 on Wednesday, which air quality monitoring website IQAir ranks as “very unhealthy.”
- Scenes from Seattle showed the skyline shrouded in gray smoke, obscuring the sun and even nearby Mount Rainier
- The acidic air was caused by wildfires raging in the nearby Cascade Mountains, combined with consecutive weeks of unseasonably hot and dry weather in the area
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Seattle had the worst air quality of any city in the world for two straight days this week, beating notoriously polluted cities like Beijing and Delhi.
The city’s terrible air quality was caused by wildfires raging in the nearby Cascade Mountains, coupled with consecutive weeks of unseasonably hot and dry weather in the region.
Smoke poured into the city streets, obscuring the sun and skyline, leaving even Mount Rainer completely shrouded in smoke and fog.
The view from the top of the Seattle Space Needle was equally dismal, as most of the city disappeared behind a cloud of apocalyptic smoke during the day.
On Wednesday, Seattle’s Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed 240, a level classified as “very unhealthy” by air quality monitor IQAIR. Beijing recorded a comparatively meager “unhealthy” 167.
Many Seattle residents only ventured outside with masks on their faces, and the city was filled with an acrid smell of smoke, according to the Washington Post.
Seattle had the worst air quality of any city in the world on Wednesday and Thursday this week, beating out usual contenders for the smog crown like Beijing and Delhi
Seattle’s air quality index hit a whopping 240 on Wednesday, which air quality monitoring website IQAir ranks as “very unhealthy.”
The view from the top of the Seattle Space Needle this morning (above) showed the entire city shrouded in a thick blanket of yellow smoke
The I-90 bridge is shrouded in smoke from East Point Viewpoint in Seattle on Wednesday afternoon
National Weather Service meteorologist Maddie Kristell said Seattle’s position at the top of the smoggy cluster was a “shocking statistic.”
She said a sustained ridge of high pressure near the city has prevented vital storm rains from coming to the city and allowed drought and fires to thrive.
“That ridge was really strong and just didn’t let any difference in weather patterns through,” Kristell said.
Washington state has been grappling with an unprecedented drought since June and is also grappling with months of unusually high temperatures.
Just last Sunday, Seattle broke its record for that hottest day so late in the fall after hitting 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
Smoke and haze fill the sky over Beacon Hill and I-5 in Seattle
Scenes from Seattle showed the skyline shrouded in gray smoke, obscuring the sun and even nearby Mount Rainier
Many Seattle residents only ventured outside with masks on their faces, and the city was filled with an acrid smell of smoke, according to the Washington Post
The acidic air was caused by wildfires raging in the nearby Cascade Mountains, combined with consecutive weeks of unseasonably hot and dry weather in the area
Seattle maintained its inglorious position at the top of the charts throughout Thursday.
Although Delhi, India held first place for a period as night fell – currently Karachi, Pakistan rules – Seattle has maintained a consistent second place.
As of midnight Thursday, Seattle recorded an AQI of 176, which IQAir deems “unhealthy.”
The website recommended closing windows to keep the dirty air out, running air purifiers in doorways, wearing masks outdoors and avoiding outdoor exercise.
Rain is forecast to finally return to Seattle on Friday, which should clear the smoke and bring the air back to safe quality.
On Wednesday, Seattle’s Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed 240, a level classified as “very unhealthy” by air quality monitor IQAIR. Beijing recorded a comparatively meager “unhealthy” 167
National Weather Service meteorologist Maddie Kristell told the Washington Post that Seattle’s position at the top of the smoggy cluster is a “shocking statistic.”