It Only Gets Hotter From Here: Washington Weather Forecast

SEATTLE — Saturday brought record-breaking heat to much of Puget Sound, but it'll seem downright quaint by the time Sunday and Monday roll around, as meteorologists are now forecasting both days will be hotter than previously predicted.

By 2:33 p.m. Saturday, Sea-Tac had logged its hottest-ever June day on record with 97 degrees.

233 PM: Seattle (Sea-Tac) reports 97 degrees. It's now officially the hottest June day on record. ....so far.#wawx
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 26, 2021

The temperature continued to swell to a whopping 101 degrees by 5 p.m. — tying the daily high with Tuscon, Arizona. That's an impressive new record, but it's likely to be shattered again as the heat continues to grow over the next two days. In fact, Seattle has only ever broken into triple digits since the weather service began recording daily highs. If their predictions are correct, the high will reach or exceed 100 degrees three times this week: on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

It’s officially 101 degrees in Seattle! This is just the 4th time on record the temperature has risen to 100° or higher since record-keeping began in 1894.
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) June 26, 2021

The records are neat, but the heat poses a significant risk. The National Weather Service's latest HeatRisk Forecast shows high to very high risk for all of Puget Sound, with highs reaching around 101 in Seattle. Other areas have it even worse, like Lakewood (105) and Issaquah (110).

Monday is shaping up to be even worse, with much of the interior seeing very high heat risk. Temperatures will also be higher, with some places seeing up to 112 degrees in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, we're unlikely to see much relief overnight, with lows in the mid 60s to low 70s.

Those high temperatures are hot enough to be hazardous to anyone, but will be especially dangerous for those who are heat sensitive, young children, older adults and people with mental illnesses or chronic diseases.

As a result, the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning, asking everyone to try staying indoors and out of the sun from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. if possible. Homes with air conditioning should use it, those who do not may want to consider visiting a local cooling center.

There are a number of cooling centers now open in King and Pierce counties. Gov. Jay Inslee has even lifted capacity limits at some shelters to try and fit as many people indoors and out of the heat as possible.

Today's freezing level from the evening weather balloon flight was 18,700 feet. That's about 4,300 feet above the summit of Mount Rainier. #wawx
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 27, 2021

The excessive heat warming will remain in effect until 9 p.m. Monday. Tuesday's temperatures should cool into the upper 80s — still high for this time of year, but nothing like the record-breaking heat. Until then, residents are asked to stay careful, drink extra water and try to keep cool.

Here are a few hot weather safety tips from the Tacoma - Pierce County Health Department:

• Cover any windows that receive morning or afternoon sun.
• Dress in lightweight clothes.
• Take cool showers or bathes.
• Don't rely on fans to keep you cool — they may not be enough to prevent heat-related illness.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks which can dehydrate you.
• Limit your time outside and in direct sunlight, particularly during the afternoon and early evening, when it is hottest.