Hot, hot weather forecast all week
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 2 months AGO
Hot weather forecast for this week will drive many people to play in the water, like this guy at the Surf 'n Slide Water Park.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | July 26, 2016 1:00 PM
MOSES LAKE — Check the air conditioner and lay in a supply of ice – it’s going to get hot this week. Hot, hot. Good and hot. All the way up to blast-furnace hot.
“Summer has arrived,” said Robin Fox, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane.
Temperatures are forecast to be 93 to 95 degrees and above all week in Moses Lake, topping out on Friday at 99 to 101 degrees. The cool-down starts Saturday, with the lower 90s forecast, and into the mid-80s by Sunday, Fox said.
It being the last week of July and all, hot weather is to be expected. Late July and early August are the hottest time of the year in Grant County, Fox said. The average temperature in Moses Lake for the last week in July is 91 degrees.
Summer 2016 has not been average, though. It’s been cooler than average.
Summer usually brings high pressure zones to the Pacific Northwest, which boosts temperatures. Summer 2016 has been influenced by low pressure off the Washington coast, Fox explained, pushing storms into the state’s interior and keeping temperatures below seasonal averages.
The 10-to-14-day outlook for eastern Washington shows temperatures back to or below those seasonal norms, she added.
For the next week, however, the high pressure is back and it’s hot. Good and hot.
The Washington Department of Health has many tips to help people stay cool when it gets good and hot. The first tip is staying indoors with the air conditioning if possible. If there’s no air conditioning, residents should stay on the lowest floor, out of the sun.
People who have to be outside should drink plenty of fluids, but avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol or sugar. Pets too need plenty of water.
Babies should be dressed appropriately; no blankets or heavy clothing. Nobody, and no pets, should be left in a vehicle.
Covering windows that get morning or evening sun is a good idea when it’s hot.
It’s also a good idea to take frequent breaks when working outside in hot weather. Strenuous activities should be scheduled for early morning or later in the day, after it starts to cool off. People should wear loose, light-colored clothing.
Sunburn interferes with the body’s ability to cool itself, so the WDOH report recommends using sunscreen.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Warden man injured in tractor-trailer collision with train
BRUCE — A Warden man was transported to an out-of-area hospital after the tractor-trailer he was driving was hit by a train near Bruce at about noon Tuesday. "The extent of the driver's injuries is not known at this time," wrote Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner in a media release. "Preliminary information indicates the semi-truck was traveling above the speed limit and failed to obey posted requiring traffic to yield at the railroad crossing. The train was traveling at a slow speed," Wagner said. "He was moving. He wasn't stuck on the tracks," he said in an earlier interview.
Othello man arrested for Moses Lake attempted burglary
MOSES LAKE — An Othello man jumped into Moses Lake in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid Moses Lake Police Department officers last Friday. An MLPD media release issued Wednesday said Fernando Lira, 36, was booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of second-degree burglary in connection with the incident. Lira allegedly attempted to burglarize a business in the 600 block of East Broadway Friday morning. The business owner discovered him and chased him off the property, the release said.
Higher revenues, expenses projected in preliminary Moses Lake city budget
MOSES LAKE — While Moses Lake city officials have reduced expenses and revenues are projected to increase by about 7.9% in the city's preliminary budget, proposed expenditures are projected to go up by about 9.5%. Assistant City Manager James Richmond emphasized the preliminary budget presented earlier this month is not cast in stone. "The projected figures are not finalized. They are requests from departments based on projected 2027 operational costs. Largely, the figures are based on guidance from the city council during the financial sustainability plan analysis," Richmond wrote in answer to questions from the Columbia Basin Herald.