DARRINGTON — Much of western Washington, including almost all of Snohomish County, is set to be under an excessive heat watch as dangerously hot conditions are forecast to roil the area from Monday through Thursday.
Meteorologists expect this will be the most intense heat the region has seen so far this year.
In Snohomish County, the worst is expected in the eastern reaches of the county.
On Monday, when temperatures were expected to be highest, the high was forecast to reach 98 degrees in Darrington. Sultan could hit 97. Monroe? 94.
“The heat will be ramping up here,” said Samantha Borth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle. “It’s getting into the hottest time of the year.”
It’ll likely stay hot through Thursday, with some cooling going into the weekend.
Closer to the water, meteorologists expected the heat would taper off, with Monday highs predicted at 88 in Lynnwood, 81 in Everett and Edmonds.
Overnight lows across the county were forecast in the low 60s.
The wave could pose a risk of heat-related illness, especially for those without air conditioning, according to the weather service.
Borth recommended residents drink plenty of water, check on people without adequate air conditioning, limit time outside and to not leave children or pets in cars.
However, conditions won’t reach the heights of the 2021 heat dome, when the heat contributed to 159 deaths across Washington, researchers found. At least 15 people from Snohomish County died from the heat that summer, according to the state Department of Health.
What separates the heat dome from this coming event, Borth said, is higher temperatures and duration, as the heat haunted the region for a week.
Those seeking refuge from the heat can find cooling centers at over two dozen local libraries, senior centers and spray parks. The full list of Snohomish County cooling centers can be found at snohomish-county-public-safety-hub-snoco-gis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/cooling-centers.
With the rise of heat waves similar to this one in recent summers, more and more locals are investing in air conditioners, according to federal data. For the first time, in 2021, a majority of homes in the Seattle metro area, which includes Snohomish County, were air-conditioned. That was a big jump from about one-third just six years earlier.
This increase means Seattle no longer holds the title as the least air-conditioned major metro area in the country, according to The Seattle Times. That is now San Francisco.
The 2021 data is the most recent available from the survey conducted every two years.
Meanhile, with dry conditions in the forecast, the heat also means an elevated fire risk in the Cascades.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet.
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