Air stagnation advisory issued for Inland Northwest

An air stagnation advisory has been issued for the Inland Northwest through Monday morning as higher air pressure and cold temperatures settle into the region.

Forecasters said a northerly flow caused by a system of higher air pressure along the Pacific coast will cause the colder air to settle along the ground, trapping pollutants in a fairly shallow layer of atmosphere.

The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency reported that smoke pollution pushed air quality from the good to the moderate range Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service said pollution problems could worsen in coming days and bring a threat of indoor burning restrictions.

There was little evidence of a temperature inversion over Spokane on Tuesday morning, but forecasters said the inversion is going to form with the change from a snowy pattern to more stable high air pressure.

Forecasters are calling for temperatures to get colder as the week progresses with persistent freezing fog and low clouds in a pattern that is common during the Inland Northwest winter.

Highs will go from the middle 20s on Tuesday and Wednesday to the lower 20s later in the week. Lows should fall from the lower 20s Tuesday night to about 15 Wednesday night and then to about 10 Thursday and Friday nights.