Tuesday’s high temperature broke record as Tacoma sweats through multi-day heat wave
A heat wave blanketing the Pacific Northwest this week brought record-breaking temperatures to Tacoma on Tuesday, edging out a previous record set in 2018 near downtown.
The high temperature near Tacoma’s old city hall on Pacific Avenue was 91 degrees Tuesday, according to Mike McFarland, a forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Seattle. The previous record for July 26 was 89 degrees, set in 2018.
McFarland cautioned that the data for the temperatures wasn’t as airtight as records kept for larger observation stations such as those at Sea-Tac Airport and in Olympia. He wasn’t too impressed by the record, either.
“Yesterday was kind of an easy high-temperature record to reach,” he said. “A week ago or several days ago we knew we were going to be able to break this one because it just happened to be lower than all the others. For instance, today, I don’t think you’ll see any records.”
For the greater Tacoma area, McFarland said high temperatures ranged from the lower-90s near the water to the mid- to upper-90s away from it. The warmest temperature was 97 degrees east of Interstate 5.
Wednesday’s temperatures were expected be similar to Tuesday, though McFarland said some low clouds to the west could keep temperatures a few degrees lower.
“I would say anywhere from upper-80s near the water to the mid-90s east of I-5,” McFarland said. “And that’ll probably be the rule right through the end of the week.”
The heat will keep residents sweating through Friday and into Saturday. High temperatures will likely reach 90 each day, and McFarland predicted it was a 50-50 chance that temperatures reach 90 on Saturday.
Other high temperatures in Pierce County on Tuesday were about 97 degrees near Bonney Lake, 97 degrees near South Hill, 97 degrees near Spanaway, 95 degrees near Lakewood, 91 degrees near University Place and the Tacoma Narrows and about 92 degrees on Fox Island.
For anyone headed toward the water to stay cool, McFarland had some expert advice. Bring an umbrella.
“Wow, does it make a difference having a little shade,” McFarland said. “I sat out in the shade yesterday just after the hottest part of the day and I was perfectly comfortable. Of course I did have good company and beer and barbecue, so maybe that took my mind off of it.”
This story was originally published July 27, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
