Wenatchee Hit With Heat Advisory, Warning In 19 Out Of 20 Days

Much of Washington east of the Cascades is going through an extended period of unusually hot weather. 

The Wenatchee area has been under a heat advisory or excessive heat warning for all but two days in July. 

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The advisories started on July 2nd and the only break without an advisory or warning came on July 15th. 

A heat advisory was in place from July 2nd through 5th, which was moved up to an excessive heat warning from the 6th through the 10th before it was downgraded to an advisory again from July 11th through 14th. 

There's currently a heat advisory which started on July 16th that'll be elevated to an excessive heat warning Saturday through Monday. 

National Weather Service Meteorologist Valerie Thaler says the prolonged heat is being caused by a weather pattern known as the Four Corners High, which develops over the four corners where the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico intersect. 

"The Four Corners High, kind of expanded northward into the Pacific Northwest, as a pretty strong system that's sitting in the Gulf of Alaska slowly migrates east," said Thaler. "So, it's really pumping up that southwest flow and bringing really hot and warm temperatures just up north into the Pacific Northwest." 

As of Friday, Wenatchee has experienced 14 straight days of 90 plus degree temperatures, which is the 12th longest streak of such heat. The record for longest consecutive days at 90 or above is 31, set in 1971. The second longest streak in 25, which occurred during a damaging heat wave that hit the Northwest in 2021. 

A break in the triple digit heat is on the way next week with highs in the low 90s Tuesday and Wednesday followed by the upper 80s Thursday and Friday. Next Friday's high is now forecast to be 86. 

Thaler says the cooler weather is coming off the coast of Alaska. 

"We're going to see that system in the Gulf of Alaska, kind of migrate eastward and park itself over British Columbia," Thaler said. "So, we'll start seeing cooler air and more of an onshore flow push. And that will come with breezier winds in Central Washington Monday through Friday." 

The cooler air will likely be a pleasant break for many people. But the winds coming with it will bring more wildfire danger. Thaler said they're monitoring next week as an elevated to critical fire weather pattern. She said the Weather Service is not expecting much precipitation that would hamper the fire weather conditions. There are very dry ground conditions east of the Cascades, which is susceptible to fire ignition.