August heat sets record temperatures

Sat., Aug. 23, 2008

It was quite a weather roller coaster this past week across the Inland Northwest.

On average, the warmest part of the summer occurs during the last week of July into the first week of August. That period for 2008 did little to represent the dog days of summer.

Though the weather was bone dry for most of the region, high temperatures ranged anywhere from the low 70s to the upper 90s. The strongest heat wave of the year ended up coming a little bit late, hitting the area Aug. 15 through 18 with record-high temperatures that weekend. Spokane hit 103 degrees Aug. 17, breaking the previous record of 100 set back in 1967. Coeur d’Alene likewise soared to 103 degrees, matching the record for the same day in 1967.

Afternoon temps over 100 degrees broke records in Plummer, Boundary Dam, and Bonners Ferry in Idaho. Across Washington, Wenatchee, Omak, Rosalia and Grand Coulee saw records fall as well. Most notable of the hot spots were highs of 108 degrees in Lewiston, and 109 degrees in LaCrosse, Wash.

The prolonged dry spell, accompanied by several scorching days, had primed the area for a potentially dangerous fire weather situation once the next cold front pushed through. On Aug. 18, thunderstorms ignited several wildfires. Gusty winds blew dust and smoke into the area with little to no rain. Peak winds of 51 mph were reported at Spokane International Airport, with gusts of 56 mph in Pullman, and 40 mph reported in Coeur d’Alene.

These winds did not occur within the thunderstorms themselves, but out ahead of them in what is called a gust front. When a thunderstorm moves into a relatively warm and dry atmosphere, the falling rain quickly evaporates, cooling the air. This is the same effect that you feel when you step out of a lake or pool on a hot dry day and feel a chill.

The process of evaporation requires heat, which is removed from the surface of your skin – or the air in the case of a gust front. Once the air under a thunderstorm cools, it begins to sink, picking up speed as it falls. This cool, heavy air eventually hits the ground and then spreads out ahead of the storm. Damaging winds can occur with a gust front, which was the phenomenon responsible for the record-setting 77 mph wind recorded at Spokane International Airport a couple of years ago.

These winds catch many people off guard, as the radar image they see on TV or the Internet might show the storm still miles away. If you look closely, however, the leading edge of the gust front can often be seen on the radar image as a narrow line of reflectivity (usually blue or green) radiating outward from an approaching storm.

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