Prepare yourselves: It’s going to be hot, hot, hot this weekend in the Tacoma area

Summer heat is on its way to Western Washington this weekend.

The National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast shows plenty of sunny skies with highs reaching into the 90s in Tacoma. In some locations, meteorologists are not ruling out the high reaching 100 degrees.

Saturday will be sunny with a high of 96 degrees, according to the NWS. Sunday will also be sunny and have a high of 97 degrees.

The warm weather likely will be here until Monday, with the coast having some cooler temperatures in comparison. Monday’s high is predicted to climb to 94 degrees, but throughout this warm stretch, the coast will likely stay in the 70s and 80s.

Mary Butwin, meteorologist at NWS, said although the temperatures in June can reach the 90s, it’s more common for Western Washington to see this sort of weather in July and August.

The NWS said even readings of 100 degrees are not out of the question for a couple locations Sunday, and possibly Monday as well. Nights will not offer “much relief” either, with lows in the 60s.

Temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday will look a bit cooler, with Thursday being the turning point, Butwin said. Thursday’s high is predicted to be 81 degrees, and from there, temperatures will climb.

Sunshine will accompany the warm period, Butwin said. For the next week, there will be mostly sunny skies aside from possible morning clouds and fog Wednesday and Thursday.

For those seeking to take advantage of the warm weather, Butwin notes water temperatures are still cold. People going swimming in lakes, rivers or the Puget Sound should be careful, she said.

Since the 90s are fairly rare, Butwin also said people should keep general heat safety in mind. Individuals should stay hydrated throughout the week, should not leave children or pets in vehicles and should be mindful of how hot the pavement can get when walking their pets.

Wildfire season is also upon the West. Grasses and shrubs are starting to dry out, Butwin said. Caution should be taken.

While it’s difficult to predict cloud coverage more than 10 days in advance, Butwin said June should continue to be “warm and dry.”

This story was originally published June 22, 2021 at 10:12 AM.