Get ready to sweat: Heat advisory in western Washington starts this weekend
This weekend, it may finally be time to put your AC unit to use.
There’s a heat event on the horizon. And the National Weather Service wants you to be prepared.
Temperatures begin to increase Friday, starting with pleasant highs in the low 70s that increase to the low 80s by Saturday in the Tacoma area.
Then on Sunday, a heat advisory will go into effect as highs reach 87 degrees Fahrenheit.
Monday won’t let up on the hot temperatures either. Expect a high of 93 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest day Tacoma has seen so far this year, Maddie Kristell, a meteorologist at the NWS, said.
If you plan on beating the heat with a plunge in the Puget Sound, know that the water might be colder than it looks.
“The biggest thing that we stress with the temperatures going up is reminding people that the water around us is still pretty cold,” Kristell said. “People can get cold water shock if you don’t acclimate slowly.”
The blaring sun also brings in a fire risk. Grasses and small shrubs along the roadside will be more dried out this weekend, making them more susceptible to ignition.
And because Tacoma’s metro areas are surrounded by asphalt and concrete, be wary of the heat island effect, Kristell said. Those materials hold on to heat throughout the day and release it at night, making it seem even hotter than the actual temperature.
The National Weather Service recommends wearing light clothing, putting on sunscreen, resting if you’re outside and seeking cooling centers to ease the uncomfort brought by the high temperatures.
