Bellamy Pailthorp

It happens every year. As the summer wanes and fall sets in, people start thinking about the coming winter and how much snow we’ll get, especially in the mountains.

In the Pacific Northwest, that can mean dreams of snowy ski slopes or how much snow pack we’ll have to fill reservoirs and water dry streams when the spring melt comes.

Fall got off to a glorious start in most of western Washington, with the first week offering consistently clear blue skies and mild temps in most places, most days.

That pattern continued Friday morning, with the promise of more clear weather through Saturday.

State and federal agencies are working to build their capacity for the use of prescribed fire to manage forests.  

That process began Sunday in Cle Elum as participants in a training exchange gathered for exercises that will continue over the next two weeks. They include intentionally set fires on up to 930 acres in central and eastern Washington.

Friday is officially the final day of summer, marked by the fall equinox. Showery weather is ushering in the transition in western Washington, though it’s expected to make way for some glorious conditions next week.

Monday is the deadline for comments on proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. Conservation advocates gathered Wednesday at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo to voice their concerns. They say the federal law is under attack and that the proposed changes would gut it.  

The conservation strategy for an enigmatic sea bird could chart the future of our state-owned forests.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Washington Department of Natural Resources are taking comments on the latest set of management options. All aim to balance logging revenue with steps to save the marbled murrelet.

There's one coal-fired power plant left in Washington state. But it won't be burning coal for much longer: It's scheduled to shut down or to switch to natural gas by 2025.

Heavy rain hit many parts of western Washington overnight and into Friday morning – a change welcomed by many, after what was reportedly the state’s third-driest and third-hottest summer of the century.

California made headlines this week as Governor Jerry Brown signed a pledge to get all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2045. Clean energy advocates in Washington State say we can do it here too.

Experts say they’re preparing a plan to capture and treat a sick, critically endangered orca if there is no way to save it in the wild.  They're preparing to rescue the animal known as J-50 if she separates from her family or gets stranded while alive.

The good news is that air quality has improved dramatically, and we no longer have to worry about breathing in smoke from wildfires. The bad news is that the clouds and showers moving in with a rapid cooldown this weekend are just the beginning of what will likely be several months of cooler fall weather.

“Summer is over,” said KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass.

There’s a push to restore tidelands and wetlands all over the country. It’s widely acknowledged that these more natural landscapes provide big benefits to water quality and wildlife.

But, what if following this trend would mean eliminating a manmade feature that’s become integral to a community -- and is a signature feature of the state capitol?  That’s the debate heating up in Olympia, where the fate of Capitol Lake hangs in the balance. A $4-million dollar process to study the options for its future has just begun.

People in the Pacific Northwest are breathing easier, now that a big push of cool marine air has surged in from the coast, clearing local skies of smoke and ash from forest fires throughout the western states and Canada.

After another week with some of the worst air quality ever experienced here, clouds and cooler temperatures come as a huge relief. But KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says it’s not completely over yet.

A cloudy start to Friday with slightly cooler temperatures signaled a return to more normal conditions in the Puget Sound region after a week in which air quality reached its worst levels ever for a 24-hour period, measured by the particulate matter in the air.

Wildfires know no boundaries. They jump from public to private land, from national forests to state parks. And local communities are often the best experts on which forested areas should be managed first to tame the risk of their spread. That’s the word from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has announced a new, collaborative approach for managing wildfire risk.

Beyond the Frame – To Be Native is the name of a series of exhibits around the region, honoring the 150th birthday of Seattle photographer Edward S. Curtis.

Curtis is a controversial figure. He sought to document Native American cultures, based on the belief that they would soon vanish. 

An international team of whale researchers has administered an emergency shot of antibiotics to an endangered, wild killer whale.

The highly unusual move took place near San Juan Island on Thursday during an observation session that lasted about six hours.

Enjoy the warmth while you can. After a long string of warmer-than-usual, sunny skies in the greater Puget Sound area, cooler temps and rain are in the weekend forecast.  

KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says Friday will be the last really warm day for a while.

Encouraging more inclusiveness so that people of color can better enjoy public lands is a topic that’s been in the news a lot in recent years.

One person behind that message is local journalist and photographer Glenn Nelson. He’s a former writer for The Seattle Times and the founder of a nonprofit advocacy web site called The Trail Posse.

Federal scientists and tribal fishermen have been preparing to take unprecedented action to help an ailing orca whale – if they ever see her again.

A multitude of factors are harming Puget Sound’s local population of endangered orcas: water pollution, noise, loss of habitat.

But topping that list right now for many scientists is recovery of their primary food source: Chinook salmon.

Cloudy skies, cool marine air and patches of drizzle greeted folks in the Puget Sound region Friday morning for a second day.

The filtered light and soft cloud layer signaled a return to more typical weather after nearly three months of dry skies and above-normal temperatures. The days of temperatures in the 90s are done, says KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington.

Seattle is working on changes to its tree protection ordinance. Trees provide shade and clean the air. They’re acknowledged by the City of Seattle for the ecosystem services they provide, which are increasingly called for as the climate warms. 

As the climate warms, oceans expand and polar ice caps melt. This means sea level rise is a reality that land owners and local governments must prepare for. It brings with it associated risks, such as flooding and erosion which can impact everything from sewage treatment plants to roads and bridges.

A new report from Washington’s "Coastal Resilience Project" homes in on exactly how high the tides could rise in 171 different sites and communities based on the latest science.

It’s been hot in the Pacific Northwest, with nearly two weeks of clear blue skies and temperatures near 90 degrees. There has been no rain in sight, just a glorious backdrop for mountain and water views, perfect weather for swimming or running through sprinklers.

Expect more of that over the weekend and through Monday at least, says KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington.

Lakes close because of toxic algae every year, especially as temperatures climb in summer. 

Pierce County’s Lake Tapps is the latest example. Authorities warned people not to swim in the northeast part of the lake last week.

In King County, caution signs remain up at Mallard Lake in White Center, where a sample showed toxicity at levels higher than the state’s guidelines advise on July 10.

The Canadian government has taken another step towards buying the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline. This is the latest move in a deal that would lead to a massive increase in oil tanker traffic through Puget Sound and the Salish Sea, made possible by the Canadian government.