August 22, 2020

Forecast: August 22nd, 2020

By Calen Randall

Happy Saturday Huskies!

After a weekend of intense heat, most of western Washington received a cool shower yesterday. The air above Seattle yesterday was so moist, that the dew point hit 64 F, nearly the highest dew point in Seattle since 2010! As we exit the, on average, hottest and driest period of the year, the forecast for the week appears warm, but not hot. High temperatures in the 70s and mostly sunny skies will dominate the forecast starting tomorrow and into next weekend. If you toss and turn during the nighttime heat, there is good news. Overnight temperatures will drop into the low-to-mid 50s all through the week.

Today’s cloudy skies are expected to clear early this afternoon and temperatures will warm to the low 70s. Mostly clear skies should persist through the week. Those of us in Washington should be very thankful for the clear skies. California wildfires have dominated headlines, and for good reason. NOAA’s GeoColor satellite image highlights the extent of wildfire smoke coverage not only in California, but also nearby states of Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Clearly the wildfire smoke is unaware that the Canada-USA border is closed, as it even extends into the province of Saskatchewan.

For reference, check out AirNow’s interactive map of air quality. Readings in green are considered “Good”. Green readings are abundant in the state of Washington, but if you look closely an orange reading (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) shows up in western Montana.

Transitioning south into California, air quality plummets. Instead of greens, most readings are yellow (Moderate), orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups), and red (Unhealthy). The Central Valley has particularly poor air quality. A couple of readings north of Sacramento are even purple (Very Unhealthy)! Hopefully any Huskies or their families at home in California are managing alright with the poor air quality!

Enjoy the pleasant temperatures and have a great weekend!

Reach forecaster Calen Randall at theuwdawgcast@uw.edu. Twitter: @Wx19Calen.

7 DAY FORECAST	PACIFIC SATELLITE