Heat advisory in effect in western Washington through Monday

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a heat advisory for most of western Washington through Monday night as record-breaking temperatures impact the region.

NWS said that temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s to low-90s Monday, which will “increase the risk of heat-related illnesses for those who are sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling or adequate hydration.”

Cold water remains dangerous despite Seattle heatwave

A record high temperature of 90 degrees has been set at Hoquiam this afternoon. This is the warmest temp ever observed there in the month of May since records began in 1953. The runner up is 87 degrees on May 29, 2007. #wawx

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 14, 2023

The advisory impacts parts of northwest and west central Washington until 8 p.m.

This past weekend, May 13-14, saw the hottest temperatures of the year, rivaling the hottest temperatures of the mid-summer. The heat already broke some records around Puget Sound, with Olympia reaching 90 this weekend.

A record high of 90 was recorded in Hoquiam, which was the warmest temperature ever observed there in the month of May since records began in 1953. The runner-up is 87 degrees on May 29, 2007.

Cooling stations are being set up across the Puget Sound region, especially in light of the 2021 heatwave, which caused the deaths of an estimated 800 people across the Pacific Northwest.

In Seattle, these cooling station includes the Jefferson Day Center with Salvation Army, Compass Day Center, and Seattle Indian Center. Throughout King and Pierce counties, libraries are open.

King County Metro has directed transportation operators such as bus drivers to let people ride for free if they’re seeking respite from the heat or heading to a cooling center.

Authorities also urged people to be wary of cold water temperatures should they be tempted to take a river or lake swim to cool off. Officials often see a rise in drowning calls when the temperatures rise.

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Much of the water is still cold from snow melt flowing into the rivers, making much of the water in western Washington around 40 degrees.

The heatwave is not expected to last much longer, though, with temperatures expected to drop the rest of the week to the low 80s and upper 70s

“We got a little mitigating factor this afternoon. We are going to have some thunderstorms forming over the Cascades that will make their way down into the lowlands,” Dana Felton with the National Weather Service said.

Felton said there’s a chance they’ll have some hail along with strong thunder and gusts of wind.