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LYNNWOOD, Wash., January 23, 2022 – The National Weather Service forecasts issued an air stagnation advisory in effect from today until noon Wednesday, Jan. 26 for Snohomish County. Daily temperatures are to fluctuate between 33°F to 48°F.

Periods of stagnant air could result in deteriorating air quality. Poor air quality may cause issues for people with respiratory problems. Those with respiratory illness should follow their physician’s advice for dealing with high levels of air pollution during periods of stagnant air.

State air quality agencies highly recommend that no outdoor burning occur and that residential wood burning devices be limited as much as possible. According to state air quality agencies, prolonged periods of stagnant air can hold pollutants close to the ground where people live and breathe.

• Puget Sound Air Quality Agency
• See current air quality conditions
• See if there is a burn ban in my area

If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination.
• Make your vehicle visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights since this means your taillights will also be on. Use fog lights if you have them.
• Never use your high-beam lights. Using high beam lights causes glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.
• Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.
• To ensure you are staying in the proper lane, follow the lines on the road with your eyes.
• In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business and stop.
• If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated so that other drivers don’t mistakenly run into you.

Upcoming Weather Forecast (Jan 23 to Jan 30)

• Tonight: Areas of fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 34. North wind 5 to 7 mph.
• Monday (Jan. 24): Areas of fog before 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 42. North northwest wind around 6 mph.
• Monday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy during the early evening, then becoming cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 7 mph.
• Tuesday (Jan 25):  Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 43. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: Areas of fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North wind around 7 mph.
• Wednesday (Jan 26):  Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 43.
• Wednesday Night: Areas of fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
• Thursday (Jan 27):  Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 47.
• Thursday Night: A slight chance of rain after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.
• Friday (Jan 28):  A chance of rain, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47.
• Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.
• Saturday (Jan 29): A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.
• Saturday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
• Sunday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.

For link to last week’s forecast, click here.

Author: Mario Lotmore