AccuWeather meteorologists said the Northwest will still face a weather pattern of extreme heat, wildfires and smoke for much of the coming week, but conditions are expected to ease in some areas.
“Another ongoing heat wave will sweep across the Northwest, challenging record highs and keeping the risk of wildfire activity high,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
Sunday's peak heat will extend from parts of the desert Southwest and interior California northward into Idaho, eastern Oregon and Washington states and into western Canada. Long-standing record highs from the early 1900s may be lowered by heat waves.
“Boise, Idaho, is a particular hotspot that will challenge record highs every day through Wednesday,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.
Temperatures in Boise are higher than those in the city's higher elevations, with the historical average midsummer temperature peak at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. During the muggy weather in late July, maximum temperatures will be 10-15 degrees higher than the historical average.
Deviations from the norm will be more severe in western Canada, with temperatures soaring into the mid-to-upper 90s, with historical average temperatures reaching the mid-70s in late July. This includes places like Edmonton and Calgary, Alta.
While air conditioning is becoming more common in homes across Northwest and Western Canada, a large proportion of people still don’t have the proper means to stay cool in their homes during extremely hot weather. Spending even a few hours a day in an air-conditioned area can reduce your risk of heat-related illness.
“During this period of hot weather, staying well hydrated is a must and critical,” Pidinowski said, adding that if possible, outdoor activities should be limited to mornings and evenings.
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Buckingham explained that the high-pressure areas responsible for the Northwest's scorching weather don't just cause temperatures to spike.
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“Smoke and haze can become trapped under a high-pressure dome, resulting in poor air quality as the smoke approaches the ground,” Buckingham said.
As of Saturday, July 20, more than two dozen fires were burning in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, and thousands of acres were scorched across western and central Canada, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Rainfall will be limited early next week. Conditions are ripe for dry thunderstorms, or clouds with thunder and lightning but little rain, to potentially spark new fires in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Need relief on the way
Pidinowski said the direction of high pressure in the west will shift further eastward by mid-to-late next week as Pacific storms begin to dissipate high temperatures in western and northwestern Canada.
Temperatures in Billings, Montana, could reach a record-breaking 100 degrees Wednesday into Thursday, while the city's historical average for late July is 89 degrees. bring needed cooling to the area.
“Although temperatures will trend downward, the risk of wildfires may actually increase late next week as dry, gusty winds sweep across the Northwest,” Buckingham said.
Across the Southwest, temperatures will be near record highs in some areas midweek before gradually falling to record averages by the end of next week. Daily monsoon thunderstorm activity will continue to bring risks of damaging wind gusts, flash floods, lightning strikes and dust storms for much of the coming week.
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