Unrelenting heat kills Tri-Cities veteran on 9th day of triple-digit highs
A former U.S. Marine in Richland collapsed and died from the heat on Monday, the ninth day in a row that temperatures in the Tri-Cities reached at least 100.
Sean Aaberg, 38, was on the 1500 block of Thayer Drive, a residential neighborhood, Monday afternoon when someone saw him collapse.
The call to 911 came in about 4 p.m., said Benton County Coroner Bill Leach.
Those who knew him said he had returned home with mental and emotional scars after his deployment to the Middle East.
He was homeless at the time of his death.
Aaberg’s girlfriend was notified about his death. The couple had a child.
It is the only heat-related death reported so far this year in Benton and Franklin counties.
During last year’s shorter but hotter heat wave in late June, four people died in connection with the heat. None had air conditioned homes.
The worst of the recent heat streak appears to be past for the Tri-Cities. Friday was the hottest day of the heat wave with a high of 112.
But the Tri-Cities could still set a new record for the number of consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures.
The current record for Tri-Cities is 10 straight days of 100 or hotter set during a streak that ended Aug. 20, 1967, according to the weather service.
That record was tied on Tuesday, which had a high of 101, making it the 10th straight day with a high of 100 or higher.
The weather forecast calls for a high of 99 on Wednesday, which likely will be the end of the current streak of very hot temperatures.
The Weather Channel forecasts hotter temperatures for Wednesday with a high of 102.
Relief will come with highs forecast to drop to 88 Thursday and Friday.
Then temperatures should climb to the 90s through the weekend and into the low 100s at the start of the next workweek.
A red flag fire warning due to breezy, hot weather and low humidity that could cause fires to spark and spread rapidly was extended, but was set to expire at 9 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 3.
However, gusty winds of up to 23 mph continue to be forecast for Thursday and Thursday night.
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 6:10 PM.