String of 100+ days may break record. Now there’s a new weather threat for Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities is forecast to get a break from triple-digit temperatures by Thursday at the latest.
But in the meantime, residents could see some thunderstorms, hazy skies from wildfire smoke and possible fires after a red flag fire warning was issued.
The National Weather Service forecast a 20% chance of thunderstorms Monday night in the Tri-Cities.
Haze from wildfire smoke is expected through Tuesday, with smoke moving into the area from the largest wildfire burning in California.
The McKinney fire has burned more than 80 square miles just south of the Oregon state line, according to The Associated Press.
Fires also are possible across the Mid-Columbia. A red flag fire warning is issued until 9 p.m. Tuesday because of the increased danger that fires could start and spread quickly.
The warning was prompted by the possibility of thunderstorms with lightning across the region, particularly in the Blue Mountains, plus gusty winds and low relative humidity.
In the Tri-Cities, gusts of up to 18 mph were forecast Monday night increasing up to 24 mph Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Tri-Cities was forecast to have its ninth straight day of triple digits on Monday, Aug. 1, the day that an excessive heat warning that started Monday, July 25, is expected to end.
The record for the Tri-Cities is 10 straight days of 100 or greater heat set during a streak that ended Aug. 20, 1967, according to the weather service.
There is a chance that this streak will at least tie the record.
The weather service predicts a high of 99 on Tuesday and 98 on Wednesday.
But The Weather Channel expects temperatures in the Tri-Cities to reach 102 on Tuesday and 101 on Wednesday.
The normal average high for the start of August in the Tri-Cities is 94.
Break in Tri-Cities heat
Temperatures should be below that on Thursday.
The weather service forecasts a high of 91 for Aug. 4.
Temperatures should remain in the high 80s to low 90s until Sunday, when they could climb to the upper 90s, according to the weather service.
Two daily temperature records were set in the Tri-Cities during the current heat wave.
High temperatures reached 100 on Sunday, July 24, and for the next seven days reached 104 on Monday, 106 on Tuesday, 108 on Wednesday, 110 on Thursday, 112 on Friday, 109 on Saturday and 105 on Sunday.
The previous record for July 29 was 107 set in 2014, well below the new 112 record set on Friday.
A new record also was set on Thursday. The record for July 28 is now 110, a single degree over the past record temperature for the date set in 1934.
This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 11:27 AM.