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Heat burst expected to break records on Tuesday

The setting sun turns the smoky haze a burnt orange as a passenger jet prepares to land at Spokane International Airport in this file photo. (Christopher Anderson)
The setting sun turns the smoky haze a burnt orange as a passenger jet prepares to land at Spokane International Airport in this file photo. (Christopher Anderson)
By Quinn Welsch quinnw@spokesman.com(509) 459-5469

A blast of heat on Tuesday is expected to break records.

The Inland Northwest warmed up on Monday with a brief heat wave that was expected to peak at 88 degrees on Tuesday afternoon. It would be the hottest Sept. 27 on record since 1967, according to the National Weather Service.

The temperature is about 20 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, said Ken Daniel, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

“It’s not an extended period of abnormal temperatures,” Daniel said. “Hopefully that means the impacts on fire season aren’t too severe.”

Cooler temperatures are expected to return Wednesday and Thursday.

“Beyond that, we’re looking at a week or more out before we have another good chance of significant rainfall,” Daniel said.

Department of Natural Resources spokesman Ryan Rodruck said fire crews across central and Eastern Washington are prepared to quickly respond to any new fire starts through Wednesday.

As the fall weather becomes more obvious, the fire threat usually dissipates, but “the danger has not gone away yet,” he said. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on this heat wave.”

Burn bans are still in effect in most counties east of the Cascades, he said.

“Our priorities right now are the Boulder Mountain fire, the Goat Rocks fire and Bolt Creek fire,” he said.

The Boulder Mountain fire, located near Cusick, reached 2,310 acres and was 99% contained as of Monday.

In North Idaho, the Kootenai River Complex fire reached 21,692 acres and was 85% contained on Monday.

The Goat Rocks fire, located near Mount Rainier, was at 3,675 acres on Monday.

The Bolt Creek fire, located near Skykomish, reached 11,277 acres on Monday. The fire had been over 90% contained, but intensified over the weekend and was at 7% containment.

Among the region’s potential record -breaking temperatures for Sept. 27 are:

  • Spokane: 88 expected, 87 record (1967)
  • Coeur d’Alene: 87 expected, 89 record (1967)
  • Sandpoint: 84 expected, 83 record (1993)
  • Wenatchee: 87 expected, 88 record (1963)
  • Omak: 90 expected, 89 record (1918)
  • Lewiston: 92 expected, 93 record (1963)