Bellingham gets slight reprieve from WA heat wave, but look where it’s hitting triple digits
A heat wave that’s scorching Western Washington with temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal is sparing Bellingham and coastal Whatcom County from its worst effects, because high pressure hasn’t changed the area’s cooling sea breezes.
Bellingham saw a high of 83 degrees on Sunday, about 10 degrees above the mid-August average but below the record of 90 for the date, set in 2010.
Both Bellingham and western Whatcom County are under a heat advisory until Tuesday, and the forecast highs remain in the mid-80s through Friday, when the heat is expected to break.
Temperatures are warmer inland and in the mountains, however.
“Cascade gaps and valleys may be on the verge of triple digits on Tuesday,” meteorologist Maddie Kristell said in the National Weather Service’s online forecast discussion.
A high of 104 degrees was recorded at Diablo in eastern Whatcom County, where firefighters are battling a wildfire on Sourdough Mountain, said Nicholas DiGiacco, spokesman for the National Interagency Fire Center.
A “red flag” warning remains in effect for high heat and low humidity.
“Fuels remain very dry and ready to burn throughout much of Western Washington, fostering quick growth and active burning conditions for new and existing fires in the area,” Kristell said.
“Smoke and haze from the Sourdough Fire will continue to impact portions of the North Cascades with the potential to drift down into Puget Sound, courtesy of northerly winds in the afternoons over the next several days,” she said.
That smoke won’t be enough to affect air quality in most areas of western Whatcom County, the Northwest Clean Air Agency said.
“Air quality for most of Island, Skagit and Whatcom counties will be moderate (Monday) with unhealthy conditions expected for far eastern Whatcom and Skagit counties, particularly locations along the eastern Skagit River Valley,” the agency said on Facebook.
“For the rest of Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties, light winds will be sufficient to mix enough clean air from the west to help dilute smoke and keep air quality concentrations comparatively low,” the agency said.
This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 11:31 AM.
