Weather Eye: No indication of 90-degree weather in the week ahead

The east winds were right on schedule Friday, along with expected smoke from fires to our east and southeast. However, the winds were so strong on the downslopes of the Cascades that they literally exploded fires, and we received tons of smoke. It wasn’t all high-level smoke, either; much of it made it to ground level, and some folks reported light ash falling in our far east county.

We had bad wildfire smoke a couple years ago over Labor Day weekend. Remember? It seems like it is becoming commonplace when the first east winds of the fall season arrive.

Friday’s smoky skies kept our high at 87 degrees. The air mass warmed further on Saturday, and despite the thick, yellowish-gray haze, Vancouver reached 90 degrees at 4 p.m.

That made it our 28th day this year of 90 degrees or hotter, just short of the record 29 days. Do I see any 90-degree weather in the week ahead? Nope. We finally lose the easterly winds and get that nice marine air back with us. After highs in the 80s today, it appears we will settle into the 70s all week. If we get a morning overcast that lingers, it could be closer to 70 degrees.

I’ll share a funny little event I encountered when I approached my home late Friday evening. On the narrow window ledge on my front door, there he was: a green tree frog at rest.

Amazing. Perhaps he was trying to enter the house to escape the heat and enjoy some air conditioning. He was a little dehydrated, so I placed him next to my water bubbler in the backyard. You know me: I like frogs of any kind, and having one on my door — not my doorstep — was a treat.

He asked me when the next rain would fall. I smiled and replied, “Maybe next weekend. No promises.”