Scorcher of a week: air quality and heat advisories
Published 3:18 pm Tuesday, July 28, 2009
It’s going to be one scorcher of a week, forecasters say.
The National Weather Service in Seattle issued advisories for heat and air stagnation beginning at noon today and continuing through Thursday.
“We will probably break some records,” said meteorologist Johnny Burg.
Temperatures were expected to stay in the 80s today and creep into the mid-90s by Wednesday, he said.
Everett may have already broken the first record of the week on Sunday. The highest temperature recorded at Paine Field on July 26 is 80 degrees. Yesterday’s 84 may easily be an unofficial record, Burg said.
This is hotter than average for the season, he said.
In addition, temperatures at night were expected to dip only into the 60s, making it stressful for people with health problems.
“People will have a tough time cooling down at night,” Burg said.
Air quality may get worse as hot and humid conditions take hold over Western Washington.
Air pollution in Everett and Marysville on Sunday reached levels concerning for some people who are sensitive to air pollution, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
In the Cascade foothills today, the air pollution was expected to pose health risks for sensitive people, according to the agency’s Web site. The general public was not likely to be affected.
Heat exposure can cause exhaustion and heat stroke, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Symptoms of heat stress include heavy sweating, dizziness or blurred vision, panting, rapid pulse, weakness, and confusion. If someone is suffering from heat stress, get help immediately. Move the person to a cool area and offer sips of cool water.
Hot weather this weekend sent Snohomish County residents seeking relief to the mountains and the water. Rescue crews on Sunday afternoon hiked up to the Lake Serene area off U.S. 2 to help an injured hiker, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said. The woman had an injured ankle and elbow. Crews used a sheriff’s helicopter to bring the woman to safety.
Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
