Temperatures may tickle 100 degrees this week

Sophia Lawson, 11, paddles in in her raft at Island Lake County Park on Monday. Joining her in keeping cool at the park were (clockwise from left) Allie Lawson, 7; Olivia Lawson, 9; Jenna Fletcher, 11; and Samantha Fletcher, 13. The National Weather Service has issued a warning about unusually hot temperatures later this week.(Photo: Meegan M. Reid / Kitsap Sun)Buy Photo

BREMERTON — Temperatures could reach triple digits this week for only the second time on record.

On Aug. 10, 1981, the thermometer at Bremerton Fire Station No. 2 climbed to 101 degrees. There are sure to be people who remember other 100-degree days, but the fire station is the National Weather System’s only official Kitsap County site.

The high on July 29, 2009, at Bremerton National Airport, peaked at 100 degrees. The fire station recorded 97 degrees that day. It was 103 in Seattle, the city’s all-time high.

The Weather Service is not forecasting that Bremerton will hit the century mark again, though daily records are likely to fall. It predicts a high of 90 on Tuesday, 94 on Wednesday, 99 on Thursday and 94 on Friday. The records for those days — Aug. 1, 2, 3 and 4 — are 97 (1965), 92 (2015), 91 (2009) and 91 (1993).

Though 100 degrees is a milestone, people can’t really differentiate it from 99.

“One has three digits, the other has two,” Weather Service meteorologist Art Gaeble said of the difference.

“Either way it’s going to be warm. Friday we’ll jump back a few degrees and stay warm until early next week. There is no rain in sight so we’ll keep that streak going.”

The last week in july and first week in August traditionally experience the hottest temperatures in western Washington, he said.

An extreme heat warning has been issued for 2 p.m. Tuesday until 9 p.m. Friday for temperatures up to 105 degrees in some places. The hot streak is the result of a huge ridge of high pressure bringing in hot air from the desert Southwest.

The usual commonsense precautions apply.

Drink plenty of fluids and avoid strenuous activities.

Stay in the shade or in air-conditioned buildings.

Check on relatives and neighbors who might be susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

Don’t leave children, elderly or disabled people or pets in a car.

Make sure pets have shelter from the sun and plenty of water.

Avoid outdoor burning, including tossing burning materials out of a vehicle. Fire conditions are approaching critical levels, according to the Weather Service.