Excessive heat watch takes effect, remains through Tuesday

Aug. 13, 2020 Updated Thu., Aug. 13, 2020 at 9:25 p.m.

As temperatures reach near the 100 mark on July 30 in Spokane Valley, Jeff LaRue takes a water break during a pickle ball game at Edgecliff Park. (DAN PELLE/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW) Buy this photo

By Maggie Quinlan maggieq@spokesman.com (509) 459-5135

The National Weather Service announced an excessive heat watch Thursday, as temperatures are expected to climb into the 100s through early next week..

Temperatures will reach a peak in Spokane on Monday, when they are expected to rise to 101 degrees downtown. If that happens, the heat would be 2 degrees short of the record Spokane-area high for Aug. 17 , meteorologist Jeffrey Cote said.

With two emerging wildfires, both under an acre, reported Wednesday and Thursday between Spokane and Airway Heights, dry heat could introduce increased risk.

When hot weather returns to the Inland Northwest Saturday, it will bring limited risk of dry thunderstorms, which can cause fire starts.

Cote said the heat could affect fire crews as they work, but predictions don’t include windy days. Lack of wind could keep wildfires at bay.

“It keeps fuels pretty dry,” Cote said. “But if there’s not a lot of wind, it’s not as bad.”

The biggest concern in coming days will be little relief from heat at night, which increases risk for heat-related illness, according to the National Weather Service.

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