Weather
'Dangerously Hot': Historic Heat Wave Ahead For Washington
Puget Sound's next heat streak may land in the record books, with temperatures in some areas likely to hit triple digits more than once.
SEATTLE — The recent break in the heat will be short-lived, and the next round of summer weather is shaping up to be historic for Puget Sound.
Thursday is likely to be the last mild day in the foreseeable future, and the National Weather Service said forecasters were increasingly confident in a "long-duration, record-breaking heat wave" across the Pacific Northwest, starting this weekend and lasting into early next week.
Most of Western Washington will be under an excessive heat watch from Friday afternoon through Monday afternoon, and forecasters expect highs on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will land in the 90s at minimum, with a good chance some areas will break into triple digits.
With temperatures forecast up to 30 degrees above normal, the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center warned Wednesday that dozens of records may be broken across the region, including a few seasonal and all-time highs.
Record-Breaking and Dangerous Heatwave coming to the West. Over 80 sites are forecast to break daily high temperature records starting this weekend. All-time June monthly records could also be broken in some locations in the Pacific Northwest. https://t.co/L4FyvSS6lj pic.twitter.com/ouyIvWG3Fd
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) June 23, 2021
According to the NWS HeatRisk map, all Washingtonians will see elevated risk levels over the weekend, amid three days of extreme daytime heat and overnight temperatures only cooling to around 70 degrees. Parts of Pierce County, including Bonney Lake and Orting, are forecast to break into the 100s on consecutive days. Around the Seattle area, the latest odds show temperatures hitting the high-90s on Saturday and breaking the triple-digit threshold Sunday and Monday.
Hitting 100 degrees in Seattle is no easy feat, and doing so more than once would be extremely unusual. As the Seattle Weather Blog notes, the Emerald City has only crossed the threshold three times in the last century.
Seattle has only hit 100° three times in the past 100 years. Pretty sobering to think we could hit 100° three times in the span of three days (Saturday-Monday).
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) June 23, 2021
The uncharacteristic heat brings along several areas of concern for Western Washington, where most homes are unequipped with air conditioning. State and local officials have assembled a list of tips and reminders to help Washingontians beat the heat and stay safe, including recognizing the signs of dehydration, keeping homes cool, avoiding tragedies on the water, and ways to prevent children from falling out of open windows.
Related: Cold Water Safety: WA Officials Share Reminders Ahead Of The Heat
With warmer weather comes an increase in cold water incidents. Warm air temperatures can create a false sense of security, but cold water can quickly become a life-threatening situation. The decision to wear a life jacket or use floatation devices can save a life. #wawx pic.twitter.com/mC1mr09dTL
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 23, 2021
Since most homes in western WA don't have central AC, here are a few tips on how to keep your home cool this coming weekend. #wawx pic.twitter.com/ILcoCn1mBh
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 23, 2021
Invest in a good fan, but don't just rely on fans. Portable air conditioners may be an option but are expensive for many. Find places with air conditioning. Check with your local city or county on cooling centers. Most important: Take care of yourself.https://t.co/Atn8J9IxsB pic.twitter.com/JXMbEG72u3
— WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) June 23, 2021
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.