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Heat wave timeline: Cooler air arrives in western Washington

Here’s what to expect as western Washington cools down from a historic heat wave that recorded temperatures well into the triple digits.
Credit: AP Photo/Lisa Baumann
People flock to Bloedel Donovan park at Lake Whatcom in Bellingham, Wash., during an uncharacteristic Pacific Northwest heat wave Sunday, June 27, 2021. Temperatures were expected to rise to 112 degrees in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday and 111 degrees at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Monday.

SEATTLE — After multiple days of record-breaking high temperatures in western Washington, a cool down of sorts arrived Tuesday.

Seattle set a new all-time record high Monday when Sea-Tac Airport reached 108 degrees in the evening. That broke Sunday's all-time high record of 104 degrees, which surpassed the 2009 record of 103 degrees.

This was the first time on record Seattle had three consecutive days with temperatures in the triple-digits.

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Sunday also broke the all-time warmest daily low-temperature record for June with a low of 73 degrees at Sea-Tac Sunday morning, which also beat the record low set Saturday of 69 degrees.

The heat was so significant around the state that two sites' readings tied the all-time high for Washington state on Sunday, according to NWS. 

The two sites that matched the state record of 118 degrees were Sol Duc River near Forks and Mayfield Power Plant in Lewis County.

NWS Seattle will be joining other Pacific Northwest teams and the State Climate Extremes Committee and will investigate the readings to determine if Washington has beat yet another weather record. 

Here is the latest on what to expect this week: 

Wednesday

Western Washington should cool down more on Wednesday as temperatures drop into the mid-80s.

The marine push will bring some morning clouds and even cooler air into the interior of western Washington. 

Highs around Puget Sound are expected to remain in the mid-80s into the Fourth of July weekend. 

The average high for this time of year at Sea-Tac Airport is 73 degrees.

Western Washington beats the heat

The temperatures were higher south of Seattle on Monday.

In Kent, the city opened up a splash park and multiple cooling centers, including the Kent Valley Ice Centre. That’s where multiple families were coming in and out to try to cool their cores.

“The heat is not cool,” said Martae Harris, who said his home only had one fan and that wasn’t enough to keep everyone comfortable. 

He sat in the stands while others took to the ice. 

“I don’t even know how to ice skate, but I’m going to learn,” Harris said.

At the water park, a former Louisiana resident named Ro Boat went gently down the stream. 

“Everyone says, 'You’re from Louisiana. You can handle it,'” she said with a laugh. 

Boat said she remembers that most places had AC back in Louisiana. Not so here. 

“It’s miserable,” said Boat. “The summer blues, especially with the kids outta school. It's hot – time to get wet!”

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