September Heat Wave Building Across the West Coast

While it feels like fall across much of the eastern U.S, it is starting to feel more like the peak of the summer season across Washington and Oregon. Read on for the details about this late-summer heat wave that is building across the Pacific Northwest, as well as how far the hot weather will spread in the days ahead.

Interior Northwest Will See the First of the Expansive Heat Wave

A budding heat wave is going to build across the interior portions of the Northwest and British Columbia, Canada, before creeping toward the Pacific coastline. The forecast is calling for some communities east of the Cascade Mountains to notch the highest readings of the year.

The month of August has already been significantly hotter than average for a large portion of the Northwest and southern British Columbia. The mercury has hovered several degrees above historical averages. For instance, Portland has seen temperatures average 3.2 degrees above the 30-year norm.

This trend will continue from the latter part of the Labor Day weekend and into the early days of next week. The forecast is calling for temperatures to reach the century mark in many areas of eastern Washington, Oregon, and the southeastern corner of British Columbia. This will translate to temperatures that are 15 to 20 degrees above what is typical for the early part of September. Daily record highs could fall across many areas of the region.

Spokane, Washington, will be one metro area that could record the toastiest temperatures of the season this year. The city in the northeastern corner of the Evergreen State recorded its top reading of 97 degrees at the end of July. Meteorologists are predicting that Spokane will see a high of 100 degrees on both Monday and Tuesday.

It will be even hotter to the south. For example, The Dalles, Oregon, is forecast to see highs in the low 100s on Tuesday through Thursday, peaking on Wednesday with a top reading of 105 degrees.