Hot Where It Usually Isn't, Cool Where It's Usually Hot

Some of the computer models are predicting areas of
extreme heat in Washington, Oregon and northern 
California with some places above 110 degrees.

Another record breaking heat wave is about to settle in to part of the nation, as these huge hot spell keep roaming the world this summer, causing misery - sometimes in places that aren't used to it. 

This time, the record heat is forecast to settle into the Pacific Northwest - Oregon, Washington, and Canada's British Columbia. Once again, we'll hear news of all-time heat record being challenged or broken. 

Meanwhile, here in Vermont, we had quite a cool morning. Not record breaking, but certainly cool for the season. Enjoy the fresh breezes and low humidity today and tomorrow as we, too, are in for hot and humid weather. 

It won't be record breaking heat like in the Pacific Northwest, but still oppressive. I'll get into more of that in a minute, but first the real news. 

Seattle has only been at or above 100 degrees three times in the past century. I saw one forecast that indicated Seattle could have three days in a row starting this weekend with 100+ temperatures, though that forecast is very iffy.  

By the way, Seattle is the least air conditioned major city in the United States. It's usually cool enough there so that they don't need it.  The lack of air conditioning makes the upcoming heat wave especially dangerous. Even worse, it will last several days, so the heat will wear down vulnerable people, and could prove fatal

Eastern Washington State is normally hotter and more arid  than near the coast, but even there, the heat wave is forecast to break records. Spokane, Washington is forecasting a high temperature of 108 degrees Monday, which would tie their all time record high for any date. 

Some computer models are forecasting highs in the 110s for parts of eastern Washington by Monday. Yakima, Washington could hit 110 degrees. Forecasts call for highs of 107 in Medford, Oregon and Boise, Idaho.

Idaho is already suffering from the weather. Dust storms roared through central Idaho Tuesday as outflow from mostly dry thunderstorms caused winds of 60 mph in spots, creating dust storms. 

Boise, Idaho is expected to have six consecutive days with temperatures of 100 degrees or more with this heatwave. On average, that city has only five days with 100 degrees in an entire summer. 

North of the border, record heat has already enveloped British Columbia. Two towns there, Hope and Squamish, had their hottest temperatures on record for the month of June this past Sunday. 

This heat wave comes on the heels of another record heat wave in the Southwest last week. Phoenix, Arizona, was at or above 115 degrees for six days in a row, which is a record long streak for them. Tucson had a record long streak of 10 days at or above 110 degrees.

This endless series of record breaking and long lasting hot spells is consistent with climate change.  Scientists have long told us that heat waves would get more intense as the world overall warms, and that really seems to be coming true.

That's not to say you can't have cool weather. Sandwiched between the record heat in the Northwest and what is expected to become an oppressive spell in the Northeast, parts of the southern states should stay, by their standards anyway, cool.

Lots of places in the Mid South and Gulf Coast will have high temperatures in the coming several days in what is for them the nippy 80s.  

MORE VERMONT HEAT

Up here in New England, that cold front meant business once it established itself. Afternoon temperatures in northern Vermont were running at least 15 degrees cooler than average Tuesday afternoon.

Virtually all of us were in the 40s this morning. There might have been a touch of frost in the traditional cold spot Saranac Lake, New York, where the temperature briefly reached 32 degrees this morning. 

Enjoy it while you can. After gorgeous days today and Thursday, the warmth and humidity will start to creep up Friday. From Saturday onward to at least Tuesday, it looks warm and very humid. A piece of that famous heat pump, the Bermuda High, is expected to poke northwestward toward New England, causing the heat. 

As noted, it won't be record-breaking, but still up there. Daily highs will be well into the 80s, with maybe a few 90 degree readings popping up here and there. 

Because of the high humidity, nights will stay warm and muggy, not refreshing like last night. 

This northwestward bulge of the Bermuda High will keep a weather front nearly stalled somewhere in the Northeast or Great Lakes area. 

It it stalls close enough to us, we'll get some beneficial showers and thunderstorms during this muggy period.  If the hot high pressure system really asserts itself, the bulk of the showers and storms would say well to our north and west, leaving us with just paltry, widely scattered and brief afternoon thunderstorms.

For those of us who want rain, the best chances of it will be the further north and west you go in the region.  It looks like the earliest chance of rain for us is Saturday night.