Hot, Smokey Weather in NCW Could See Relief from Thunderstorms This Weekend

The hottest weather since last month's heat wave is headed for North Central Washington in the next few days. The National Weather Service is predicting Wenatchee to hit a high of 104 Saturday, one degree below the record for that date.

The high mark will cap three straight days of triple digit weather, which will be followed by a cool down into the low 90's brought on by thunderstorms Saturday night

Recent storms have caused a number of major wildfires. But meteorologist Ron Miller with the National Weather Service says we may avoid those fires in this next round.

"Obviously the lightening is a concern for starting new fires" said Miller. "But these are also going to be wetter thunderstorms. So our expectation is that if there is lightening, then there's at least a decent chance that there'll be some rain with it. And hopefully that will minimize the impact on starting new fires."

A lightning strike caused the Cedar Creek Fire, which has been burning for more than two weeks near the Methow Valley in Okanogan County.

The Cedar Creek Fire along with the close by Cub Creek Fire currently cover more than 80,000 acres, and together, have brought heavy smoke into the adjacent valley. The valley itself has the worst air quality in the state right now, and Miller says the area is caught in a vicious cycle.

""It's taking the smoke that is forming from those fires up northwest of Mazama, and just brings that smoke down down the valley every evening. Those fires are still actively burning. We don't see any change in that, at least through Saturday."

Miller says the rain forecast for Saturday could bring some relief to the smokey air.

He says there are reports of the Methow Valley currently having the worst air in the country.