After a nice weekend, some more heat is coming to the Pacific Northwest this week, with KIRO 7 meteorologists calling Pinpoint Alert Days on Tuesday and Wednesday as the heat might be a little much to handle for some folks in Western Washington.
The onshore, or westerly wind flow (“nature’s air conditioning”), is shutting down as we head into Monday through midweek. This, combined with building high pressure aloft, will allow for the summer sun to warm the area each day.
On Monday, highs will be in the 70s north and on the coast, with mid to upper 80s from the central and south Puget Sound region into the south interior. Not too hot just yet.
One noticeable impact on Monday will be some increasing wildfire smoke – mainly from British Columbia – moving into the northern half of Western Washington by Monday afternoon.
For most of us, this will just bring some hazy skies from the Seattle area north, but reduced air quality can be expected across the north interior from Skagit County northward into the north interior by afternoon, and near the Cascades.
Heat picks up on Tuesday and Wednesday with a Heat Advisory issued for most of Western Washington. Highs will likely touch 90° in the Seattle area, with some mid-90s likely across the south.
There are two “wild cards” which could affect the temperatures a bit: expected high clouds and times and any increase of wildfire smoke near the surface and aloft. Both of these could actually cut down highs just a few degrees.
(We will be nowhere close to record highs Tuesday and Wednesday with Seattle records at 97 and 96, respectively.)
Still, it will be uncomfortable on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially for those without air conditioning. Also, worsening air quality could complicate ventilation by opening windows, though the severity of wildfire smoke remains uncertain at this time, but some unhealthy air looks probable in some spots at times Tuesday and Wednesday.
That onshore flow off the cool Pacific will start back up on Thursday into the end of the week, and that will cool us off, as well as help to clear up air quality into next weekend.
Look for more on KIRO 7 News tonight and on kiro7.com and the KIRO 7 Pinpoint Weather App.
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