Smoky pattern persists, hot pattern on the way
The flow of air today is what is referred to by meteorologists as a “zonal flow,” which is defined as winds moving west to east across time zones. This is not a good thing for Deschutes County, as the wildfires in the Willamette National Forest are almost due west of the area, and the smoke is coming into the county with some intensity.
There is an Air Quality Alert in place for Deschutes County until Sunday afternoon at 3 pm because of the smoke. High pressure overhead is also putting a cap on the region, keeping the smoke in place once it gets here.
As for the forecast, it is going to be a hot forecast next week. Expect the heat to intensify as the weekend moves along and we head into next week. High temps on Saturday will be in the upper 80s to low 90s most areas then the 90s across the board on Sunday.
The new work week will be defined by temperatures in the middle to upper 90s with some areas hitting the triple digits by mid-week.
The dry and hot pattern will cause some concern with respect to wildfires as the ground is tinder dry and any spark will ignite a fire that may spread quickly. Winds will be gusty in the Cascades and breezy in the high desert so that, along with the heat, is a recipe for trouble.
Stay hydrated and in the shade during this hot spell. Never leave pets or kids in your car.
A Red Flag Warning (also referred to as a Fire Weather Warning) is in place for Lane and Linn counties from Saturday through Monday.
An Excessive Heat Warning is in place for areas along I-5 for Sunday afternoon through Thursday.
Stay safe.
A Heat Advisory is in place from Klamath and Lake counties for most of next week starting Sunday.
The red NWS alert banners above on our web pages update frequently.
Don't forget to download our free KTVZ Local Alert Weather app for the most current conditions and we'll help keep you safe with customizable alerts.
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