EVERETT — Expect temperatures in the high 80s this Fourth of July.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will all have highs of 80 degrees or higher, National Weather Service meteorologist Reid Wolcott said.
Those temperatures are “nowhere near the ‘heat dome’” in 2021, which saw a high in Everett of 100 and contributed directly and indirectly to some 440 deaths across the state, Wolcott said.
However, people should still practice caution, especially if spending long periods of time outdoors during Fourth of July festivities, Wolcott said.
The week will also be “real dry,” especially in the Cascade foothills, Wolcott said.
People should take the dry weather into consideration if they’re doing anything involving open sparks or flames, like lighting fireworks or grilling hotdogs.
The low humidity in western Washington means critical fire conditions Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
On Thursday, humidity will increase, according to NOAA. However, breezy winds could fan existing fires.
The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch over the weekend extending through Wednesday. That means fire conditions are possible but not “imminent or occurring,” according to the weather service. The watch includes the west slopes of the central Cascades above 1,500 feet and much of southwestern inland Washington.
That includes areas in southern Snohomish County, where a few small brush fires over the past few weeks were contained without much issue, said Snohomish County Fire District No. 5 chief Seth Johnson.
“Any type of human interaction with the outdoors has a tendency to increase the risk of fire and that’s kind of what we’re seeing,” Johnson said. “I won’t say they were all started by fireworks or that kind of thing, but we are seeing an uptick in brush fires, which we usually do in the summer.”
In Skamania County, the Tunnel 5 fire had burned 546 acres and destroyed 10 homes Monday. Authorities were still investigating the cause of the fire.
A report by the National Fire Protection Association stated that nationwide there were 19,500 fires started by fireworks in 2018. Those fires caused five deaths, 46 injuries and $105 million in property damage.
“People still need to exercise caution,” Johnson said. “Discharging fireworks in a safe area, making sure that they’re not putting hot debris in a trash can near the house when they’re done celebrating, things like that.”
A combination of wildfire smoke from British Columbia and firework smoke could also reduce air quality in western Washington, according to the NOAA briefing.
Marysville and Lake Stevens could be some of the hottest areas, Wolcott said. Residents in those two cities can anticipate a high of 88 on Wednesday. Those regions heat up because they’re urbanized and far from the waterfront, Wolcott said.
On Thursday, the high could creep into the 90s in Darrington, according to the weather service.
Fortunately, nighttime low temperatures will be in the upper 50s, Wolcott said. That should allow homes without air conditioning to cool down at night.
Only 53% of residences in the state have air conditioning, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration survey in 2020.
Snohomish County has two dozen cooling centers, including air-conditioned libraries, outdoor water parks and senior centers.
Snohomish County officials also recommends drinking plenty of water, avoiding dehydrating drinks with alcohol or caffeine, avoiding strenuous activity and finding cool, ventilated places for pets.
The heat is forecast to somewhat taper off into the weekend, with high temperatures sliding to the 70s or low 80s in much of the county.
The first heat wave of the year happened in May. Temperatures topped 90 degrees in Snohomish.
Surya Hendry: 425-339-3104; surya.hendry@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @suryahendryy.
Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jordyhansen.
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