Building heat to fuel wildfire danger over western US

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

August 25,2017, 6:27:07AM,EDT

 

 

Another surge of heat will lead to an increased wildfire threat and poor air quality over the western United States into the end of August.
The heat will pale in comparison to the extreme temperatures felt earlier in the month, but temperatures will still average around 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit above late-August normals.
Hot air will build northward toward the Canadian border through the weekend, with an anticipated peak early next week.
High temperatures will surge well into the 110s F across the Desert Southwest, 100s up the spine of California’s Central Valley and 90s into eastern Oregon and Washington. Record highs could even be approached.

Portland, Oregon, and Seattle will spend multiple days in the 90s and 80s, respectively.
The high temperature in Seattle is forecast to stay above 70 F through the end of August, which would mark the first time in recorded history that the high temperature has failed to dip below 70 for all of July and August.
Even downtown Los Angeles could bake under blazing sunshine and temperatures near 100 spanning Monday to Wednesday. On Tuesday, the high temperature could come within a few degrees of the daily record of 102 originally set in 1884.
“The combination of sunshine, light winds and hot air will lead to deteriorating air quality due to existing wildfires in the region and major metro area pollutants,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
RELATED:
Miss 2017’s total solar eclipse? Start planning for the next one in 2024
Torrential rain to evolve into flooding disaster as major Hurricane Harvey makes landfall over Texas
Reports: Gulf Coast braces for Hurricane Harvey as it continues to strengthen
The threat for new wildfires to ignite and spread will be high due to the dry ground. Parts of the West have been abnormally dry, with the most extreme drought conditions occurring over Montana, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Those who are out camping should never leave a fire unattended and should ensure the blaze is properly extinguished prior to leaving the campsite. Make sure cigarettes and matches are safely discarded.
“For the remainder of August, above-average temperatures are likely to continue over the western U.S,” Sosnowski said.
Temperatures may be trimmed slightly across the Northwest as a weak system crosses the region during the last days of August. However, another resurgence of heat is poised to arrive over Labor Day weekend.
No significant rainfall is expected over the next week, with only spotty thunderstorms expected over the mountains and valleys during the afternoon and evening hours.