Heat wave continues through the weekend, fire danger soars
Today is going to be the hottest day of this heat wave, but we will not get much cooler for several days. I don't see afternoon high temperatures in the 80s for well over a week. We will be in the upper 90s to low 100 through the weekend.
A byproduct of the dry and hot weather conditions will be the drying out of the land and water resources in Central Oregon. When the region is this dry and hot the evaporation rate increases significantly. The soil is drying out along with the plants and the reservoirs are shrinking as well. This is not only dangerous now, but for the rest of the summer as we deal with wildfires and drought.
This past winter we saw a good amount of snow on the mountains that soaked into the soil in late spring. This heat wave is creating a significant drain on our water resources for livestock and people. No rain is in the forecast for the 6 – 10 day models, and that is not going to favor us come August and September.
Currently we are under a Fire Weather Warning (Red Flag Warning) and anything that lights will burn quickly. A breezy day Wednesday will not be a welcomed event.
Looking into the future, Central Oregon fire danger will be dangerously high for several months if we don’t get some rain when we come out of this hot period.
Stay hydrated, stay in the shade, never leave kids or pets in a vehicle, be aware of the high fire risks. Check on your neighbors from time to time.
FYI: Bend has only hit 100 degrees in a calendar year 5 times, that was in 2022, so far this year we are at 4 days. Bend has seen 4 days in a row with 100 degrees or more in 2022, we are now at 4 days (Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Today).
The hottest day in Bend was 107, June 30th 2021. We got real close today with a high of 104.
Stay Safe
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