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Weather Eye: Coastal correspondent notes heat wave from cool distance

By Patrick Timm
Published: July 13, 2014, 12:00am

While most were searching for ways to ease the discomfort of the current heat wave, others — like me — were trying to stay warm and comfortable. No, I wasn’t in the far reaches of northern Canada or somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere where winter abounds.

Far from it. I can tell you that I was outside on a deck with a gorgeous view of the Pacific wearing a sweatshirt writing this column, and only 90 miles or so from home as the crow flies. Yep — soaking up the fog and low clouds along the Washington Coast.

I know it was 92 degrees at my Salmon Creek home with humidity of 40 percent at 5 p.m. Saturday. Contrast that with overcast skies and about 65 degrees deck side here north of Long Beach.

The summer heat wave will continue until further notice with highs around 90 degrees plus or minus the next four or five days. Slight differences in pressure gradients can change that quickly, but regardless it will be in the uncomfortable range. A chance of thunderstorms was in the forecast today with an increase in southerly moisture streaming northward.

When it gets hot over the inland interior of Oregon and Washington, the day-time heating tends to draw in air off the ocean keeping the immediate beaches socked in with low clouds and fog. Yet, looking eastward I saw blue sky less than a mile away inland.

The tidal swings have been amazing here under the current supermoon that peaked Saturday. The wide swing of super-low and super-high tides, often called spring tides, may have the crabs confused. Thousands were beached during the night here, giving way to a bounty for hungry seagulls at daylight.

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://patricktimm.com.

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