Intense Heat Wave Continues Along The West Coast | WeatherBug
Main Menu
Responsive menu icon

Intense Heat Wave Continues Along The West Coast

November 13, 2017
UPDATED By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Alexa Maines
Air conditioners will need to keep blasting across the Northwest today, but slight relief is on its way for the weekend.

Widespread Excessive Heat Warnings remain in effect from northern California to the Northwest Coast including Mount Shasta and Happy Camp, Calif., Medford and Portland, Ore., and Seattle and Olympia, Wash. Numerous Heat Advisories also remain for Salem, Ore., and Pasco, Wash.

Highs reached the upper 90s to upper 100s just inland from the California coast to the Sacramento Valley this week. Highs in the middle 90s to lower 100s heated up much of Oregon and southern Washington state.

A strong high pressure ridge will remain parked across central California into the Northwest through tonight. The mercury across extreme northern California will continue to soar in the 100s. Meanwhile, highs will reach into the upper 90s to lower 100s in western Oregon and Washington. Temperatures across Seattle and Everett, Wash., will soar close to 100 degrees today.
 
This intense heat has sparked numerous wildfires across southern Canada and the interior Northwest. Smoke from massive, raging wildfires across British Columbia, Canada, has spread into the Northwest, depleting air quality and impacting those with respiratory diseases and vulnerabilities, including the elderly and small children. Air Quality Alerts have been issued across portions of Washington, northern Oregon and northern Idaho. Limit your outdoor activities and be sure to check on elderly relatives and neighbors.

As the heat ridge pushes south into California early this weekend, much cooler but more tolerable weather will return to the Northwest Coast. Instead of toasty upper 90s to lower 100s, Portland, Ore., will drop into the lower 90s for highs Saturday and upper 80s Sunday and Monday. Seattle will cool nicely from near 100 degrees to the middle 80s by Saturday.

Thursday was another record-breaking day across the Northwest. Seattle-Tacoma Airport broke its 90-degree record set in 1988 by reaching 94 degrees and Portland, Ore., reached 105 degrees, breaking its former record of 99 degrees set in 1952.

The heat is nothing new for this part of the U.S. Just last month, Stockton and Modesto, Calif., saw record highs with 108 degrees at both locations on July 8. Kennewick, Wash., also pushed to a record of 105 degrees set on July 7.

While the weather certainly will be hot, it’s not totally unheard of in the middle of summer for interior northern California. The all-time August record high temperature in Sacramento, Calif., is 109 degrees set in 1990.

Exercise extreme caution this week by keeping yourself hydrated and staying in air conditioning if possible. Wear lightly colored, loose clothing and limit your outdoor activities to the early morning or evening hours. Be sure to check on elderly relatives and neighbors and NEVER leave children or pets or children in your hot car, even for just a few minutes.