**Please vote in the latest poll on the right hand side bar! This will help me know how to make your experience on this blog even better. You can choose more than one answer!**

What a difference a day makes! One of the beauties of living in the Pacific Northwest is the eventual natural air conditioning that kicks in after a heatwave. Scott Sistek of KOMO 4 talks more about how we get so hot here in the summer and why we almost always cool off so dramatically. It’s interesting how a change in wind direction can really make all the difference.

So this morning we’re in the low 60s, which is about 10-12 degrees cooler than this time both yesterday and Sunday. This is a good indication of much cooler temperatures today which will ultimately result in highs topping out in the upper 70s and low 80s:

So what were we able to accomplish out of this “heatwave”? Do you wish it lasted longer? The good news is we still have mild temperatures and dry weather in the forecast for the foreseeable future, but nothing THIS hot looks likely any time *too soon. So let’s take a look at the progression:

FRIDAY (August 3rd, 2012)- 79/52 (winds were primarily from the N/NE all day and the thermal trough was gliding north across the Oregon coastline)

SATURDAY (August 4th, 2012)- 90/64 (Friday’s high temperature was 79, but on Saturday we easily reached that temperature at 10:35 am with a NE wind)

SUNDAY (August 5th, 2012)- 97/55 (The hottest weather during a thermal trough usually occurs when it is directly overhead. Many weather models were hinting at Saturday being the warmest day, but the trough took its dear sweet time passing over us and instead offered a baking forecast just shy of 100 degrees).

As a result of this heatwave, according to record numbers at Bremerton National Airport, both Saturday and Sunday smashed old records:

SATURDAY (August 4th): OLD RECORD: 87 (2005); NEW RECORD: 90 (2012)

SUNDAY (August 5th): OLD RECORD: 86 (2005); NEW RECORD: 97 (2012)

This leads us to the results of our latest poll conducted on the right hand side bar. 39% of you felt we would only average between 85-90 degrees, while 33% voted we would average 90 degrees or above. The 33% who voted for 90+ degrees and above win! The average high temperature this weekend was 93.5. Toasty!

You may see some ominous looking clouds outside right now as a result of our dramatic marine push, but don’t get too excited. While there’s still the chance for a few stray thundershowers or rain showers (mostly concentrated in the Cascades), we’ll remain mostly dry and skies will clear throughout the day.

Mild weather remains throughout the week! But if I had to choose one day this week to not plan a pool party, it would be Wednesday, as more low clouds and cool temperatures in the upper 60s/low 70s could turn most of the crowd away 🙂

Have a great day everyone!

Matthew Leach

Forecasting Kitsap

forecastingkitsap@live.com