Summer 2021 ties for second place with 1894 as most consecutive days above 90 degrees

Spokane barely avoided breaking yet another hot weather record when it topped out at 87 degrees at the Spokane International Airport on Thursday, ending a 14-day streak of 90-degree temperatures.

The current record was established in 2017, when temperatures stayed at or above 90 degrees for 15 days in a row. This year is tied with 1894 for having the second-most days in a row of such high temperatures on record.

Mark Turner, observing program leader at the National Weather Service in Spokane, said the bit of relief Thursday from the 90-plus degree heat won’t last long, however, as the area will go back into the 90s through next week.

“Cool is not the word I’d use to describe these next few days,” Turner said.

The region normally gets hottest around the end of July, Turner said. For Spokane to reach 14 days in a row of above-90-degree weather in late June to early July is highly unusual, he said.

Turner and other meteorologists also have been paying attention to another, arguably more important, record: the lowest amount of rainfall ever recorded in Spokane.

In 1924, only around 3 inches of rain fell between the beginning of the year and the summer months. As of Thursday, 2021 has seen 4.7 inches, making it the second-driest year on record, with not much relief in sight.

Turner said while people may eventually get relief from the hot temperatures, the drought will likely stick around for the summer.

“We’re still in extreme drought. We haven’t moved to exceptional drought, which I guess you could look at as good news,” Turner said. “Still, we’re in a record drought.”

Most of Eastern Washington was placed on a drought warning as early as May, according to a drought advisory from the state Department of Ecology published May 24.

According to the report, southeastern Washington experienced much drier streamflows and extremely low soil moisture conditions. Even on the west side of state, where a drought advisory has not been issued, conditions are “abnormally dry,” the advisory said.

If the lack of moisture persists in Washington and Idaho, Turner said, it will create air quality issues and increase fire risk.