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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Midsummer continues to heat up

Randy Mann Correspondent

Summer is here in full force as we’ve seen plenty of near-record and even record heat this month.

From July 5 through 7, triple-digit temperatures were felt across many areas in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. On July 5, Coeur d’Alene and Spokane soared to a record 101 degrees. It was much hotter toward Lewiston as the mercury topped 108.

In Missoula, it was 107 on July 5, the highest temperature ever recorded for that city. The previous record for the warmest day in Missoula was 105 degrees set on July 10, 1973.

I have felt 117-degree temperatures. This happened when my wife and I were passing through Phoenix during the summer of 2003. When it’s that hot, one can actually feel unprotected skin starting to burn in a very short period of time. I’ll take the Inland Northwest’s weather over that extreme heat anytime.

Last week we saw another round of hot weather. Spokane soared to 101 degrees on July 13. Through July 17, Spokane International Airport had observed eight consecutive days with highs at or above 90 degrees. Folks without air conditioning told me the temperature inside their home climbed into the 90s and box fans didn’t help much.

It now looks like we’ll have another batch of heat this weekend. Highs will once again soar well into the 90s and perhaps near 100 before cooling a bit early next week.

The heat is not helping the moisture situation, especially across Southern California and the desert Southwest. Much of that region, especially Los Angeles, measured its lowest annual rainfall season in recorded history. For 2006-07, the Los Angeles area received approximately 3 inches of rain, compared to an average of nearly 15 inches. Palmdale, Calif. managed a puny .65 inches of rain, compared to the normal of 9.63 inches. This is not a good situation for what is now becoming a hot, dry and fire-ravaged summer across the West.

Conditions are not much better in the southeastern states. Hot and dry weather has led to numerous and devastating wildfires, especially in southern Georgia and northern Florida. Atlanta is experiencing the seventh driest year on record with rainfall coming in at 12 inches below normal so far this year.

Between these two major droughts, major flooding has been occurring in the south-central Great Plains. Parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas have seen more than 30 inches of rain since April 1. Before the floods came, the south-central U.S. was suffering through the worst drought since the infamous Dust Bowl Days of the 1930s.

Spokane normally receives slightly more than 16.5 inches of precipitation for an entire year while Coeur d’Alene’s average season is slightly more than 26 inches.

As far as the second half of July locally, I still see at least five to seven additional afternoons with readings in the 90s and, perhaps, another day or two with triple-digit heat toward the end of the month.

Precipitation should be limited to just widely-scattered afternoon or evening thunderstorms, mainly near the mountains. Some of these thunderstorms could produce only dry lightning, which would not be good news for this fire season. As of Tuesday, all eleven western states were reporting forest and brushfires.

Shower activity should increase a bit by mid-to-late August and conditions should turn even wetter and cooler than normal beginning mid-September. Early September may see one last gasp of summer as temperatures climb into the 90s.