100-year heatwave smashes records

“[The heatwave] was an all-time record for just about everywhere in the state,” Pacific County Emergency Management Director Scott McDougall said Monday. “I have heard everything from 110-116 yesterday, and I think we were looking at 106-107 in South Bend as the high temperature.”

Power usage surge?

According to Manager Jason Dunsmoor, Pacific County PUD hasn’t seen a significant increase in power usage from residents running fans nonstop or air conditioning units. But he was affected by the unpleasant heat and found refuge in front of an air conditioner.

“Definitely hot yesterday, [the] reader board hit 113° in downtown Raymond, that’s a record, at least in my lifetime here,” Dunsmoor said. “Power usage is up a little more than normal, but nothing close to winter peak load. Definitely a lot of AC usage this weekend. I know mine was still going this morning trying to catch up.”

One of Dunsmoor’s crews even had to venture out into the blazing sun to restore power to some sweltering customers. The repairs were an easy fix, he reported, but it probably felt like days to the customers.

“A tree fell into the lines at 318th and Sandridge, [we] just had to cut it out and re-energize,” Dunsmoor said. “Car hit a padmount transformer north end of Surfside. Once it was found, [it was] an easy fix for the crew. I wish whoever hit it would have told us.”

Astonishing temperature shift

If the heat wasn’t an oddity itself, University of Washington Professor Cliff Mass has predicted that the temperature shift between June 28-29 will likely be one of the most drastic on record. The daytime highs of over 100 degrees across the Pacific Northwest are expected to be followed by upwards of a 60-degree drop.

“After the temperature peaks around 5 p.m., it plummets steeply, like an insane meteorological roller coaster,” Mass said. “Some will be sweating in 110 temperatures around dinner time, but looking for a light sweater around 6 a.m.”

“The reasons for this profound shift? The thermal trough will begin to move eastward over the Cascades, with an onshore marine push bringing in cool air off the Pacific,” he added.

As the heatwave moves away, the county is expected to enjoy daytime highs in the upper 70s and comfortable overnight lows hovering in the upper 50s for at least the next week, with no sign of precipitation in the forecast. Forecasts suggest the dry period could last well beyond the next week, too.

It will be a great time to stroll out to the beach and enjoy the much more pleasant weather.