North Idaho air quality remains poor

Air conditions remained poor Thursday in the Coeur d’Alene area, degrading throughout the day.

The Air Quality Index value was 292 by 3 p.m. and categorized as “very unhealthy,” but bordering the “hazardous” zone that begins at 300.

An Air Quality Alert issued earlier in the week had not been extended past noon Friday by early Thursday evening.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms today before 11 a.m. turning to widespread haze with areas of smoke. Overall, the forecast calls for partly sunny skies with a high near 84.

Friday night, expect more widespread haze with patchy smoke and partly cloudy skies with a low around 61 degrees.