Dry Lightning A Concern Across the PNW

The heat continues to bake the Northwest.

“For Washington state extending into Oregon, northern Idaho and even western Montana," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  "It has been very, very warm for this time of year. We've routinely seen temperatures at or near 100 degrees as far north as eastern Washington.”

Rippey noted there are some benefits to these unseasonably hot temperatures; the pace of harvest and field work for spring wheat and barley crops has increased across the three states.

“But in the meantime, we are looking at significant drought conditions that has had an adverse impact on rangeland pastures and summer crops,” he said.

Plus a greater wildfire threat to the region.

“We'll have to keep an eye on the interior Northwest over the next couple of days," Rippey said.  "We have moving its way northwards, some dry lightning strikes that could ignite some wildfires. Oregon seems to be the potential hotspot for that, but it could extend into Washington state as well as Idaho and even as far east as Utah.”

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