Scorching early summer heat, critical fire situation forecast for Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities weather is on a rollercoaster, with a tie for the record low, the possible first triple digit of the year and windy weather that will create critical fire conditions over the space of just five days.
Saturday the high for the Tri-Cities is forecast at 98, according to the National Weather Service. But that is at the center of a possible range and there is a chance the high could be a couple of degrees hotter, hitting the 100s.
The hottest day of the year so far in the Tri-Cities was May 11 with a temperature of 92 — until Thursday, the first day of summer 2024, when the temperature was a degree warmer at 93.
That was just a day after a low temperature of 42 was recorded in the Tri-Cities on the last day of spring 2024, tying the record for the coldest June 19 in 2001, according to the weather service.
Saturday is forecast as the hottest day in the near future as a strong cold front is forecast to cool the Tri-Cities Sunday and Monday.
With the cold front will come dry and windy conditions Sunday, prompting the weather service to issue a fire weather watch for the Tri-Cities and much of Eastern Washington from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The weather service says weather conditions will create a “critical fire situation for new and existing fires.”
Obey burn bans, be careful with power equipment that creates sparks and properly discard cigarettes, says the weather service.
Relative humidity as low as 13% and gusty winds in the Tri-Cities area could cause any wildfires to spread quickly and have extreme fire behavior, says the weather service.
The weather service is keeping an eye on developing weather and may upgrade the fire watch to a red fire warning.
The high Sunday is forecast to drop to 88, with gusts as high as 26 mph during the day and 29 mph Sunday night, according to the weather service.
Monday could be even cooler, with a high of 85, before high temperatures climb back into the low 90s Tuesday and Wednesday. Highs in the low 80s are forecast for Thursday and Friday.