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Weekend set to break temperature records, according to National Weather Service

Tim Lorentz dives from his “LaFloata” boat fitted to his above-ground swimming pool during an afternoon splash July 20, 2020, in Spokane. In the water, neighbors Ryan Schwartz, left, Zachary Schwartz and Allie Lorentz cool off as a heat wave hits the area. (Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review)
By Mathew Callaghan The Spokesman-Review

Spokane residents should expect the extraordinary recent heat surge to continue through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Jeremy Wolf, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said residents should “be looking at a continuation of near-triple-digit temperatures all the way through the weekend for the Spokane area.”

The temperatures Friday and into this weekend are supposed to be close to the hottest recorded for the day.

“We’re forecasting to tie that record today (Thursday) and Saturday,” Wolf said. “We’re forecasted to break the record on Friday and forecasted to just fall short of it on Sunday.”

Spokane’s all-time high hit 109 degrees in June 2021.

Wolf said highs should remain at 102 degrees throughout Friday and the weekend , with Sunday falling just short of breaking the 103-degree record.

The temperatures Wolf is measuring and forecasting originate from the Spokane International Airport. Because of this, location and elevation may have a slight effect on the temperatures citizens experience.

“Temperatures are going to be just a few degrees warmer as you get to the lower elevations of Spokane,” Wolf said. “So down around the downtown area, we could see temperatures as hot as 103 to 104.”

For residents living in Idaho, the highest temperatures are expected to be a little cooler but not by a significant amount. “We’re looking at temperatures right around 100 degrees for Coeur d’Alene each day,” Wolf said.

Wolf added: “Normal temperatures are around 86 degrees for daytime highs. So we’re about 15 degrees above normal.”

In short: It’s going to be hot. Super hot.

People searching for some refuge from the heat during the evenings may be disappointed. Even though the temperatures are less extreme at night, it is still projected to be in the 60s to 70s after sunset. Wolf said these high nighttime temperatures are common when highs reach this level during the day.

“When it gets into the triple digits in the afternoon, it’s just hard to really cool down significantly at night because the nights are still relatively short.” Wolf said.

While daytime high records are at risk of being broken, Wolf said that the nighttime temperature is “a few degrees too cool at night to be breaking that record.”

For those who have no choice but to be outside, Wolf said it’s critical “to wear light-colored clothing and to stay hydrated, drink plenty of water and try to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.”

While this extreme heat may be borderline unbearable, Spokane and North Idaho will not face the ultimate blistering heat for the region, with temperatures in the Tri-Cities forecast to hit highs of 110 degrees each day and Lewiston set to reach 108 .