By Gordon McCraw, Meteorologist for the Tillamook County Pioneer
Well, it has definitely been on the warm side since the end of last week with the temperatures in the 70s and 80s at the coast, and the 90s and 100s over in the valley where they set some new record highs. The good news, for many, is the fact that the high pressure ridge that has been residing over the region is finally starting to weaken a little, and this combining with the upper level cloudiness moving across the area will help to moderate the temperatures some. We may also see some upper level smoke from the fires sweeping across to bring us some hazy skies the next couple of days. So, after a mostly sunny day today, the marine fog and clouds move in again tonight, and with calm winds, the overnight low is 55.
Tomorrow the clouds will burn back again, leaving a partly sunny day with the winds becoming westerly 5-10, the high near 70. Looks for increasing clouds tomorrow night with diminishing winds, the low near 56.
Wednesday, we see a low pressure area dropping southeastward from the Gulf of Alaska, west of British Columbia and this should increase our onshore flow which will aid in continuing to cool things down, so we see mostly sunny skies with westerly winds 4-8, the high near 70, then cloudy skies Wednesday night, the low near 56.
Thursday, we continue to watch that low pressure area in the Pacific dropping southward, off to our northwest. So we start out cloudy, but the mostly sunny skies return, the high near 71, and with increasing clouds again, the overnight low is around 55.
By Friday, things get a little more iffy. The problem is that low pressure area to the west will be competing against the high pressure ridge. At issue is, that low is expected to move eastward and possibly bring some rain across the area. However, the models show the low weakening as it nears and possibly gets pushed more to the north. This yields a forecast for Friday of mostly sunny skies by the afternoon, the highs still near 71, but we can add a slight chance of some light showers by around midnight, the low near 55.
We still have a slight chance of light showers during the day Saturday, the high near 71, then we dry out again by Saturday night, lows near 56.
For now, it looks like the fair, dry and mild conditions return for Sunday with partly sunny skies, the high near 72, lows near 56. Again though, this is all dependent on what that low pressure area does over the weekend.
So, hang in there folks, we are into the last week of August, then a few weeks later in September, Fall takes over.
And that’s it for now, we’ll see ya again next Monday.