Tri-Cities temperatures to be near 100. Area already in drought

Temperatures are forecast to come close to 100 on Tuesday in the Tri-Cities, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

That’s about 15 degrees above normal for late June.

The hot weather comes as Benton County is already in severe drought. Franklin County is in moderate drought in much of the western part of the county and conditions are abnormally dry in the eastern end of Franklin County, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

With many people not acclimated yet this year to the hot weather, they should limit strenuous outdoor activities, take breaks in the shade and stay hydrated.

And it will be too hot to leave dogs unattended in cars, says the weather service.

Wednesday and Thursday should see some cooling with highs dropping to the low 90s. But the high could be as hot as 96 on Friday, according to the weather service.

The early forecast predicts highs dropping to the 80s this weekend.

Rivers cold, fast

Those who plan to get some relief from the heat at area rivers are reminded to use caution.

“As it is early in the season, the water remains cold and the current can be unpredictable,” said Julie Jackson, the Richland city recreation and facilities manager.

Don’t swim alone, stay hydrated, take breaks out of the water in shaded areas and use a life jacket whenever possible, she said.

Columbia River currents are strong and even good swimmers can get tired, said Richland police Sgt. Drew Florence.

Life jackets are available on the loaner boards in Tri-City area parks, said Rusty Bell of Columbia Basin Dive Rescue.

“Drowning is a preventable injury,” he said.

Adults in boats should lead by example and wear life jackets, which are required for children, he said.

Dive Rescue already has been called out to two incidents at Moses Lake and one near the confluence of the Palouse and Snake rivers in recent weeks.

And on Friday a 12-year-old girl was rescued by a paddle-boarder when she disappeared under the water after jumping off the docks at Howard Amon Park in Richland without a life vest.

CPR was performed, but she was in critical condition when she was taken to a hospital. No update on her condition was immediately available on Monday.

Wildfire preparation

No rain is forecast through this week.

The National Interagency Fire Service predicts wildland fire potential to be above normal in the East Cascades and Mid-Columbia by July and lasting into September.

Staff from the Fire Marshal’s Office of the Kennewick Fire Department will be going door-to-door in south Kennewick this week to pass out information from the Kennewick fire chief.

“Indications are for a very active fire season,” said a statement from the Kennewick Fire Department.

Information will be hung on doorknobs on how to create a defensible space around homes near wildlands by removing vegetation and anything else that could catch fire around the exterior of houses.

The information also will include an application to apply for smart phone notification of Code Red evacuation notices.

In 2018, five homes in south Kennewick were destroyed and three were damaged in the Bofer Canyon wildfire.

Irrigation outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation forecast for the Yakima basin water supply predicts enough water to fully satisfy senior water rights. Those with junior water rights are expected to receive 92% of their entitlements.

The Kennewick Irrigation District owns mostly junior water rights.

“May snow pack was below average all month and the snow will likely melt out earlier than normal,” said Chuck Garner, Yakima Project River Operations supervisor for the Bureau of Reclamation, when he released the monthly forecast earlier this month.

“This early depletion of the snow pack will lead to reservoirs using water earlier than normal,” he said.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s forecasts for Yakima basin water supply are based on water flows, precipitation, snow pack and reservoir storage as of the first of the month, along with estimates of future precipitation and river flows.

This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 12:46 PM.