Air quality in the Pacific Northwest was impacted by volcanic ash and dust from Mount St. Helens, the National Weather Service Portland (NWS) reported Sunday.
Officials said in a tweet that strong east winds sent volcanic ash and dust from the mountain westward.
Meteorologist Will Ahue of NWS said Sunday that the ash in the air was left over from previous eruptions.
Winds were blowing at 25 mph with gusts of 40 mph but eased up later Sunday.
NWS said the primary impact was to aviation, but ash and dust could trigger respiratory issues for sensitive groups. Anyone near Mount St. Helens was advised to avoid outdoor activities.
Western Washington dealt with poor air quality over the summer due to wildfire smoke from Canada to Siberia. Consider these 5 tips for better breathing during poor outdoor air quality.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
