, °F

Radar & Maps

News & Video

Extreme Weather

Social

Personalized Forecasts

A.M. Planner

Home & Garden

Sports & Recreation

Health

Miscellaneous

Featured Forecast

My Favorite Forecasts

    New York, NY

    Local Weather

    My Recent Locations

    Blazing heat to return to Pacific Northwest after refreshing weekend

    By Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist
    By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist
    August 12, 2018, 12:21:43 PM EDT

    Share this article:


    A welcome break from the extreme heat that has been scorching the Pacific Northwest is in store through Sunday, but the heat relief will not last for long.

    High temperatures in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, have averaged 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit above normal this past week. The mercury soared into the 90s for the sixth consecutive day in Portland on Friday, and Seattle carded three consecutive 90-degree days spanning Tuesday to Thursday.

    The streak of 90-degree days ended in Seattle on Friday and in Portland on Saturday as a dip in the jet stream temporarily squashes the expansive heat dome through the weekend.

    NW Heat Relief Static


    “Cool air, and even some clouds, will move farther inland through Sunday, bringing comfortable high temperatures in the 70s grace for the Interstate 5 corridor from Seattle to Portland,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.

    However, the cooler air and scattered shower or two will do little to extinguish the fire threat across the region.

    Nearly 20 active fires that have charred over 210,000 acres are burning in Washington and Oregon alone as of Friday. Currently, there are about 80 active blazes present across the western United States.

    WestFires 8.11


    "While there will be a significant cooldown for the region into Sunday, there will also be an increase in winds," AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey warned.

    This could create a volatile period of rapidly spreading wildfires this weekend.

    Duffey stressed that the uncertainty in wind direction will add unpredictability in the direction that wildfires may spread.

    "This creates a dangerous situation for wildland firefighters in the region," he added.

    Anyone living or traveling through the western half of North America should remain up to date on local watches, warnings and alerts and be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice.

    RELATED:
    California’s already severe wildfire season likely to worsen as no relief is in sight
    How to prepare for wildfires so you can escape safely if a blaze approaches
    Playground equipment can get dangerously hot: Follow these tips to prevent kids from getting burned
    How inhaling wildfire smoke can wreak havoc on your health

    Hikers and tourists spending time outdoors should have a plan of action in place in the event that mandatory evacuation orders are issued.

    Download the free AccuWeather app to check on the latest coverage of beneficial showers or direction of troublesome winds.

    Although winds should lessen again by Monday, the massive heat dome confined to the Southwest this weekend will once again bulge back northward and bring more heat back to the Northwest.

    Next Week NW Heat Static


    “While temperatures in Montana and the western Dakotas will fall into the 80s and lower 90s F early next week, Washington and Oregon will begin to heat back up,” Adamson warned.

    While high temperatures should not be quite as high as what they were this past week, areas from Portland to interior parts of Washington and Oregon could once again experience 90-degree heat, with mid- to upper 80s returning to Seattle.

    Anybody with respiratory problems, the elderly, young children and those that mind the heat should be sure to drink plenty of fluids and limit time outdoors during the hottest parts of the day to reduce the risk for heat-related illness.

    Unfortunately, no meaningful change in the weather pattern is in sight for at least the next couple of weeks. The hottest and driest weather, relative to normal, is expected to remain across the western U.S.

    Thus, firefighters already dealing with an above-average fire season should expect little, if any, aid from Mother Nature in the weeks to come as the acreage burned continues to increase.

    Report a Typo

    Weather News
    >

    Comments

    Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.

    More Weather News

    More Weather News

    TRENDING NOW

    blue tarps Puerto Rico

    The 'sin techos': The harsh reality of living without safe housing in Puerto Rico 1 year after Maria

    The administrative disparity between the way in which FEMA traditionally assesses cases in the United States and the economic and legal reality under which the territory of Puerto Rico operates, has left thousands of American citizens in the island sin techo (without a roof).

    Read Story
    Tropical weather florence flooding

    'This feels like a nightmare that just won’t end': Anxious evacuees can't return home as dangerous flooding persists in Florence's aftermath

    Nearly a week after Florence’s initial landfall in the Carolinas, the worst of the flooding is still unfolding as rivers that have hit major flood stage still have not crested.

    Read Story
    More Trending Now
    >