Despite those hazy high clouds, a warm air mass and late-April sunshine pushed our afternoon temperatures Wednesday well into the 70s.
As of 5 p.m., it was 78 degrees in Vancouver. When was the last time we had a high in the 70s? We must go back 188 days to Oct. 19, 2022, when it was a pleasant 75 degrees.
Today we will match Wednesday’s high temperature and perhaps reach 80 degrees for the first time this year. On Friday, with more sunshine and easterly winds, we expect highs well into the 80s.
Vancouver’s record for the date is 87 degrees, set in 1926. That may be in jeopardy. Imagine record-cold high temperatures earlier in the month to record highs. April can be temperamental.
High pressure weakens Saturday but holds strong enough to bring us another 80-degree day, I think. The cooldown is on Sunday as ocean air rushes inland.
Our average high now is 65 degrees, and it will be around that figure from Sunday through Wednesday of next week. Earlier, I thought our highs would dip into the 50s again, but the low-pressure system that will cause the clouds, cooler temperatures and a 50 percent or less chance of showers will drift southward off the coast into California.
If you have a day off or a case of spring fever, Friday will be the day to take a drive to the ocean beaches. If those easterly winds reach the coast, temperatures will be in the 80s on the Southern Washington coast and Northern Oregon coast. I expect it will be busy. Remember, if wading in the ocean, it is cold — around 50 degrees. Our local waters and the Columbia, with the snow melt, are extremely cold, and taking a dip is not recommended. Hyperthermia is highly possible.
Even with snow still on our foothills to the east, I don’t foresee any chances of frost locally, but be prepared until Mother’s Day to protect delicate plants. The center core and downtown area of Vancouver are past the danger of a killing frost.
Enjoy the brief taste of summer, and we’ll chat on Sunday.
