Lohmann Dry Conditions May Contributing Factor During Extreme Heat

This week has been one for the record books for many locations across the Northwest, with temperatures well above 100. According to Marilyn Lohman, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, some locations, such as Dallesport WA, topped out at 118 degrees this week. She noted the dry conditions across the Northwest, really the entire western U.S. allowed the hot temperatures to gain a foothold never before seen in this area.

“Normally we have evaporation from the soil and transpiration by plants, and that’s normally higher when the soil moisture is dry, so then we see more of the sun’s radiation being turned into surface warming.  So, normally we have that energy from the incoming solar radiation is used to either evaporate soils and plant moisture, or heat the ground and air.  And in this case because the soil has been so dry there’s a lot more energy available to heat the ground and the air.”

Lohmann noted record temperatures could be recorded again Wednesday, but as the weekend draws near, she expects temperatures to cool; very slightly.

“We still will have not quite as extreme heat, but still well, well above normal, a little shift downward.  And then as we go out through the rest of the week and into the weekend it will still remain very hot but I don’t think we’ll see that wide spread record breaking that we have seen.”

Speaking of your holiday, what can we expect Monday and into next week?

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com