Weather Eye: Marine air will freshen skies, lower hot temperatures
If the sky looked a little hazy Monday, you weren't imagining things. Smoke from several grassland fires burning in south-central Washington had drifted westward on easterly winds into parts of Southwest Washington.
The closest and largest fire burning was along U.S. Highway 97 between Toppenish and Goldendale, just north of Satus Pass. Satellite imagery showed a sizable burn scar left behind from fire activity that continued through Monday afternoon and overnight.
Air quality slipped into the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" category in portions of the county. High clouds may have made it somewhat difficult to spot, but a thin layer of smoke had spread across our local area; some residents told me they could smell the smoke. It is early for smoky skies but here we are.
The good news is a push of marine air off the ocean Tuesday will freshen the skies and the air quality as well. Along with it will be cooler temperatures, but that will be short lived as forecast models have us hot again on Thursday and Friday. Cooler marine air will gradually work inland, knocking temperatures back into the lower 80s Tuesday and Wednesday. While those readings remain several degrees above normal for mid-June, they will feel much more comfortable compared with the intense heat of the past few days.
Numerous temperature records were broken or tied over the weekend as afternoon readings soared well into the 90s. Warm overnight temperatures only added to the discomfort, especially in urban areas where some neighborhoods struggled to cool off after sunset.
Vancouver set a record high of 94 degrees on June 14, surpassing the old record of 93 degrees in 1986. Monday's record was 95 degrees in 1966 and with the predicted high temperature we may have set a new record as well.
The average high temperature this time of year is generally in the low to mid-70s. So even though many of us will welcome highs around 80 degrees, we will still be running warmer than average for the season.
As we approach the first official days of summer, the weather pattern continues to favor warm and dry conditions. In fact, no significant rainfall is showing up in the extended forecast. Lawns are beginning to take on their summer appearance, gardens are growing rapidly, and area streams and rivers are slowly dropping after the spring runoff season.
By next weekend temperatures should settle back into the lower to middle 80s, which is not a bad place to be in June. Sunshine is expected to remain abundant with pleasant mornings and comfortable evenings.
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