If Vancouver reaches 100 degrees today, it will only be the fourth time in the month of September in our weather history going back to 1891. Previously we peaked at 102 degrees in 1944, 100 degrees in 1987 and 103 degrees in 1988. It will be a rough goal to achieve as the record high for Sept. 5 is 102 degrees set in 1944 degrees.
I started off my column with the word “IF” because even with an extremely warm air mass aloft and an easterly flow out of the Gorge, there is plenty of wildfire smoke that is forecast to shroud our skies today. If the haze is thick enough, it could hold the forecasted high of 101 degrees down a few degrees.
Regardless, if we escape triple digits, it will be a miserable day to be outside. Hot, somewhat humid and smoky. One could see wildfire smoke and haze developing Wednesday over the region. The hot weather continues Friday with highs forecast to be near 100 degrees again and with more smoke.
The hot ridge of high pressure will slowly wander to the east helping to cool things down over the weekend. Saturday should still make it to 90 degrees or higher and into the 80s on Sunday. We will easily surpass the warmest monthly temperature of 86 degrees reached in September 2023. No heat waves in September last year. I investigated upcoming October weather in Vancouver going back to 1891 and the warmest high was 90 degrees set in the warm year of 1988.
