After a spurt of hot weather broke five records throughout the Pacific Northwest, meteorologists with the National Weather Service have predicted some relief for Lewis County residents.
Although no local records were broken, Sea-Tac Airport saw a record high of 92, Olympia a high of 92, Bellingham a high of 87 and Quillayute a high of 94. The weather office in north Seattle also broke previously set records with a temperature of 90 degrees.
Meteorologist Steven Reedy said Lewis County is expected to see clear skies, with today as the coolest day of the week. Starting Wednesday, Reedy said, a high pressure system will rebuild over the area and temperatures will begin to rise again.
Temperatures in the upper 80s and approaching the 90s are expected.
Although the hot weather is not unheard of for this time of year, Reedy said, the duration of the warm temperatures has been unusual. Typically, the area will see a week of 90-degree temperatures here and there, but a week after week occurrence is not typical.
Sunday provided the first lighting event of the fire season, and Reedy said with the increased use of fireworks, local areas may see problems.
With continued hot and dry temperatures, he said, everything had been dried out to historic levels in regard to plants and other fire fuels.
“Especially with the Fourth of July weekend and the potential for fireworks interacting with these very dry fuels, it could give rise to potentially dangerous situations,” he said.
To help residents combat the excessive heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service for the past weekend, Thurston County Emergency Management Division gathered a list of cooling centers that are available to the public, with 13 in all.
The cooling centers include three locations in Tenino — at the Tenino Quarry Swimming Pool, Tenino Fire District 12 and Tenino Timberland Library.
Officials with the city of Centralia said they are unaware of any cooling centers opened in the city, although they have opened in the past. Police Chief Carl Nielsen, who is in charge of emergency operations, was not available for comment before deadline on whether cooling centers would be opened.
If a cooling center is not available, experts said, it is important to remember the basics and drink plenty of fluids, avoid the sun, stay in the shade, and use sunscreen even if the outside time is limited, a press release said.
Public places often times can help provide reprieve from the heat. Shopping centers, movie theaters, libraries and community centers are typically air conditioned.
People should also limit their activity to avoid heatstroke. Heavy-duty yard work or strenuous exercise should be avoided during the hottest parts of the day.
Children and pets should never be left in a hot car, and the press release said it is important to check on outdoor pets frequently to ensure they have shelter from the sun and plenty of water. The heat is especially hard on the young and elderly, so it’s recommended to check on relatives and neighbors who may be more sensitive to hot weather, including infants, young children, seniors and people with chronic illnesses.
A statewide burn ban is currently in effect. Lewis and Thurston counties, as well as the Chehalis Reservation, also have bans in place.
