The wave of warmth extends across Western Washington, with areas as far north as Quillayute, Clallam County, to as south as Hoquiam, Grays Harbor County, clocking record-breaking high temperatures.
Our sun and warmth are for the record books.
Temperatures at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Tuesday surpassed the day’s highest temperature on record shortly after 2 p.m., clocking 77 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. The metro area set the previous record of 76 degrees in 1977.
“We did break the record here at Sea-Tac,” which is where forecasters gauge conditions for Seattle, meteorologist Johnny Burg said around 2:30 p.m. “There could be another record tomorrow, too.”
The wave of warmth extended across Western Washington Tuesday; high temperatures in cities across the region shattered records, too.
Meteorologists with the service started the record-keeping system to track the area’s climate 74 years ago.
Both Quillayute and Hoquiam reached 73 degrees Tuesday afternoon, surpassing the areas’ previous records by one degree, Burg said.
Upcoming weather may make history, as well.
Meteorologists had called for a high temperature around 78 degrees in the Seattle metro area Wednesday, one degree higher than the day’s record, Burg said. On Thursday morning, some of the weather service’s computer models indicated the day’s high could be anywhere between 75 and 77 degrees.
Thursday’s forecast is warm, too — but with less of a chance of topping charts. Forecasters are expecting 81 degrees, while the record is 82, he said.
“I don’t think we’ll break the record,” said meteorologist Dustin Guy “but it will be close.”
April’s warmest day, according to the service’s records, was on April 18, 2016, with a whopping 89 degrees.
For those who are wondering — and worrying — about whether the current stretch of warm days predicts an extra-hot summer, Guy said not to stress unduly.
Yes, the overall outlook for June, July and August suggests the peak of summer will be warmer and dryer than average, but it’s not related to the short-term forecast, he said.
In any case, this week’s warm spell will end by Friday with a return to cooler temperatures.
“Jump on it,” Guy said, “because things will come to a screeching halt on Friday.”