Spring-like weather forecast for Tri-Cities

It may feel like springtime has come to the Tri-Cities by Presidents Day.

Temperatures could be 15 degrees above normal early next week, according to data from the National Weather Service.

The warm weather already has hit the west side of Washington. On Monday a temperature of 78 degrees was recorded at Long Beach, Wash., and a temperature of 71 was recorded at the Paradise visitor center at Mt. Rainier National Park.

“It’s definitely not normal weather for this time of year, it being more typical of springtime than midwinter,” said Nic Loyd of Washington State University’s AgWeatherNet in Prosser.

A strong ridge of high pressure, commonly seen during summer months, built up over the western side of the region and is gradually moving inland, according to AgWeatherNet.

Normal highs for the Tri-Cities in February are near 48. The weather service says the high Monday in the Tri-Cities could be 63.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 7:41 PM with the headline "Spring-like weather forecast for Tri-Cities."