When the tide is out, the bay contributes to the smell. But most of the odor comes from a forest of industry smokestacks built on the tidelands. A stew of airborne contaminants, mainly sulfur from the Simpson Tacoma Kraft pulp and paper mill, fills the air above the city. On good days, the smell is barely noticeable.

Does Tacoma Washington smell bad?

The Aroma of Tacoma, also known as the Tacoma Aroma, is a putrid and unpleasant odor associated with Tacoma, Washington. The odor is not noticeable throughout the city, but is rather concentrated in the Tacoma Tideflats and is frequently smelled by motorists traveling that section of Interstate 5.

How many days a year does it rain in Tacoma WA?

154 days Tacoma gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 154 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground .Climate Averages.Tacoma, WashingtonUnited StatesRainfall40.9 in.38.1 in.Snowfall4.2 in.27.8 in.Precipitation153.5 days106.2 daysSunny141 days205 days5 more rows

Is it safe to live near a paper mill?

“The pollution from the mills is so bad that people living nearby can smell it and can get sick from the fumes, and the long-term effects of exposure on health can be even more serious. This decision will bring some relief for communities at last by requiring the EPA do its job and limit uncontrolled toxic pollution.”

Does it get hot in Tacoma Washington?

Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Tacoma Washington, United States. In Tacoma, the summers are short, warm, dry, and partly cloudy and the winters are very cold, wet, and mostly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 37°F to 78°F and is rarely below 27°F or above 88°F.