Heat for the weekend, t-storms possible Monday

Ridging is building over the American West today into the weekend, leading to a regional heat wave in the Pacific Northwest. Above average temperatures are forecast for the Columbia Basin, though things aren’t looking quite as warm as they were originally expected. The Tri-Cities can expect a high in the mid 80s on Friday and […]

Continue Reading

Some clouds Wed afternoon with heat wave on tap this weekend

Tri-Cities weather May 10, 2023 Starting the day with just a few clouds moving about the Columbia Basin. A weak trough is forecast to pass overhead so that with daytime heating, cumulus development is likely starting midday for partly cloudy skies this afternoon. Scattered thunderstorms in the mountains will add some high clouds to the […]

Continue Reading

Rain showers and mostly cloudy Tue, heat wave this weekend

Tri-Cities weather May 9, 2023 An upper level low pressure system is moving eastward into the Northern Rockies Tuesday morning. Rain showers and isolated thunderstorms, mostly south of the Tri-Cities, will taper off into midday as the low moves deeper into Idaho. Maybe some clearing midday before clouds from mountain thunderstorms develop this afternoon. An […]

Continue Reading

High close to 90° Wednesday, t-storm chances a bit less impressive

Mostly clear skies through the morning hours with temperatures starting in the upper 40s in the Tri-Cities area. Upper level low pressure remains in place, centered near San Francisco. This is forecast to continue spinning moisture into the Inland Northwest today and tomorrow. The moisture from the San Francisco low will likely generate a few […]

Continue Reading

Seattle and Portland observe warmest first half of fall on record

Credit: Shutterstock/VladisChern

Note: This article is using the meteorological definition for fall, which is September 1 to November 30. The first half of meteorological fall is September 1 to October 15. The weather pattern over the Western United States has been dominated by persistent upper level ridging for several weeks, leading to above average temperatures and below […]

Continue Reading

Construction at Salt Lake Airport may be producing erroneously high temperatures at weather station

Like many places in the Western United States during summer of 2022, Salt Lake City has been tying old records and setting new ones. Earlier this summer, Salt Lake City International Airport recorded a high of 107°F tying the old all-time record. All six of the first six days of September recorded highs at or […]

Continue Reading

Late season heat advisory for the Lower Columbia and Yakima Valley

A building ridge of high pressure this week is forecast to bring a late-season heatwave to the Pacific Northwest. This has prompted the National Weather Service in Pendleton to issue a heat advisory from 11:00 to 20:00 Wednesday for the Lower Columbia Basin and Yakima Valley. This includes the Tri-Cities, Yakima, and Hermiston, but excludes […]

Continue Reading

Short heatwave for the Columbia Basin, but temps won’t be as hot as the end of July

Well below average temperatures were observed throughout the Inland Northwest Friday as an upper level trough makes its way through British Columbia. The Tri-Cities recorded a high of 84° on Friday. The average for this time of year is in the mid 90s. Temperatures warm some Saturday, but will only be near average. The bulk […]

Continue Reading

List of new Tri-Cities temperature records from the July 2022 heatwave

Credit: Shutterstock/VladisChern

The heatwave that gripped the Pacific Northwest since the last week of July is finally drawing to a close, leaving behind several new temperature records. This event came during what is climatologically the hottest time of the year for the Tri-Cities meaning that the bar was already pretty high for temperature records. This heatwave extended […]

Continue Reading

Upper-level trough bringing quick cool down Thursday to Saturday in the Tri-Cities

One last day of near 100° highs are expected in the Tri-Cities on Wednesday before an upper level trough passes through the region. This is forecast to place the jet stream right over the Washington/Oregon border, allowing cooler air from the north to dip into the Pacific Northwest. This trough in the upper level flow […]

Continue Reading