Pacific Northwest Prepares For Potentially Record-Breaking Heat

Posted: May 10, 2023 3:15 pm

Many residents in the Pacific Northwest are finally getting their wish. After an unseasonably cool and wet start to the month of May for this corner of the country, a drastic change is on the way heading into the Mother’s Day weekend.

Not only will temperatures finally hit the seasonal average for this time of the year but they will soar past those readings.

Drastic Shift in the Weather for the Northwest

A large southward dip in the jet stream has been responsible for the cooler weather in the Northwest as of late. Temperatures in Northern California and southern Oregon will continue to fall below normal through Wednesday.

However, this is about to change by Thursday as the jet stream bulge inches northward across the western half of the U.S. The result will be dramatically warmer temperatures for much of the region.

The warmer weather will come at the hands of an area of high pressure located in the upper levels of the atmosphere.

This zone will allow for warm temperatures to build across the area in the coming days, triggering what could be defined as a heat wave for some locations.

What may end up being most notable about this upcoming weather pattern is how long the heat holds on during a time of the year when conditions typically return to normal quickly.

Potential of New Record Highs for Portland and Seattle

The major cities in the Pacific Northwest may see daily high records fall by Friday as the mercury soars. For instance, while the historical high average for the middle of May in Portland is in the upper 60s, the temperature is forecast to land in the mid 80s on Friday.

By Saturday, residents can expect readings to come close to breaking through the 90-degree barrier. Should this happen, it would break a record that has been in place for 50 years.

Sunday will bring readings expected to hover in the mid 90s for the Rose City. This is particularly significant as this temperature is usually not seen until about the beginning of July in this part of Oregon. The temperatures in the 90s will linger in Portland through Monday before they begin to moderate.

Seattle will be under the threat of record-breaking heat. It will take a day longer for the most jarring heat to reach the Emerald City. Temperatures will climb to about 80 degrees on Saturday with the possibility of a high around 90 degrees on Sunday.

In addition, dry conditions will make it a nice weekend for any outdoor Mother’s Day festivities.

Sunday and Monday will be the days most likely to break records in Seattle. The record high for Sunday is 88 degrees, dating back to 2018. The record high for Monday is 85 degrees, a record that has stood since 2007. Both of these records will be in serious danger of falling as the heat continues to build into early next week.

The earliest date that Seattle has seen its first 90-degree day of the year is May 17. This record may also fall on either Sunday or Monday.

While the temperatures will start to begin a downward trajectory on Tuesday in the Northwest, the readings are forecast to hover above the seasonal average through the week.

Storms on Tap for the Southwest

While the Northwest is dealing with extreme heat for this time of the year, it will be stormy conditions stealing the weather headlines in the Southwest. The storms will move into the region as the jet stream bulge moves to the west over the Desert Southwest.

This movement will support moisture located in the central U.S. to move to the west.

The presence of significant moisture will also keep temperatures lower than what the Northwest will be experiencing at the same time.

The higher elevations of the Southwest will be the most at risk of seeing this storm development. The most likely time frame for the storms to fire up will be over the weekend and into the early part of next week.

Potential hazards of this weather maker in the Southwest will be flash flooding and frequent lightning strikes. Be sure to keep an eye on this developing forecast if your Mother’s Day plans take you outside this weekend.

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