Tri-Cities bakes under smoky skies. Heat advisory issued, fire danger grows

The Tri-Cities is again facing a heat advisory and a smoky haze is expected to hang over the area for days.

However, the Tri-Cities could get some relief from hazy skies and hotter than usual July temperatures later this week, according to the National Weather Service.

But first it has to get through three days of triple-digit temperatures.

The Tri-Cities heat advisory was scheduled for noon Monday through 8 p.m. Wednesday, with highs of 100 to 102 forecast for the three days.

Then cooler air from the Pacific Ocean will be seeping through the Cascade Mountains, bringing temperatures to closer to normal averages for July and increasing humidity.

The high could drop to 94 on Thursday, 89 on Friday and 91 on Saturday.

Normal average highs for July in the Tri-Cities region are about 90 degrees.

Nighttime lows also will be dropping, with the temperature forecast to get as cool as 62 on Friday night.

Weather outlook

But, the cooler weather is not expected to last, and rising humidity is expected to provide only limited protection from the spread of wildfires.

The Weather Channel, which forecasts Tri-Cities weather two weeks out, predicts highs to be back in the high 90s by Sunday and then increase to the low 100s for most of the following week through Water Follies weekend.

The National Weather Service expects smoke to linger over the Tri-Cities through Wednesday as winds carry smoke from Oregon wildfires to the northeast into Washington.

Even if the wind direction shifts, smoke could still end up over the Tri-Cities as fires burn across the Northwest, according to the weather service

The air quality ranged from good to satisfactory in the Tri-Cities on Monday, as smoke remained well above ground level.

Northwest fires

Drought and unusually hot temperatures in the West had 300 fires burning in British Columbia, 24 in California, 14 in Idaho, 13 in Oregon and four in Washington, according to the Seattle Times on Monday.

The National Weather Service could issue a fire weather watch for the Tri-Cities for Wednesday, as winds are expected to pick up then. Gusts of up to 21 mph are forecast.

The Umatilla National Forest temporarily closed the Pomeroy Ranger District in the Blue Mountains northeast of Walla Walla to the public on Monday to protect both the public and also firefighters.

Firefighters have been challenged by hot and dry conditions as they continue to fight two fires started by last week’s thunderstorms. The largest had spread to 46,000 acres.

There is a potential for extreme fire spread and intensity now, with strong winds forecast for Wednesday creating potentially critical fire conditions, according to the National Forest Service.

In Washington state the Burbank Fire on the Yakima Firing Center had grown to 12,000 acres and was 10% contained Sunday night.

In southern Oregon the Bootleg Fire had grown to 240 square miles as of Monday.