The Pacific Northwest is set to bake under potentially record-breaking temperatures as a heat dome remains parked over the region and as potent storms are forecast to bring another bout of heavy rain to the southern U.S.
On June 10, high temperatures will soar into the high 90s and low 100s in Washington, Oregon and parts of Idaho, according to the National Weather Service.
Along with the risk of heat illness, the stifling temperatures are coinciding with low humidity and wind gusts up to 30 mph, triggering red flag warnings as any wildland fires that ignite could spread quickly.
Meanwhile, across the southern Plains and southeastern U.S., it will be another wet and rainy day as rounds of storms continue to drench the rain-soaked regions, from New Mexico and Texas to parts of northern Florida and Georgia, according to the weather service.
The most severe weather – bringing a risk of flash flooding and damaging winds – could break out in Texas, which has been battered by relentless storms since last week, leading to at least one death and the activation of emergency state resources by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The looming storms will not be as severe as those that broke out last week and over the weekend, which spun up tornadoes in the Plains region and triggered flooding in Texas.
Days of record temperatures to abate by midweek
The heat dome unleashing stifling heat across the Pacific Northwest is expected to ease by Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
The heat first set in over the weekend, leading to a record-breaking 90-degree high at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the weather service said. That temperature on June 8 smashed the previous record of 87 degrees set in 1948.
With temperatures expected to reach the triple digits in some interior areas, forecasters expect more daily temperature records to be broken on June 10.
A temperature forecast map from the Weather Prediction Center shows the Pacific Northwest is expected to grapple with another day of potentially record heat on June 10, 2025.
High heat is the deadliest weather condition
Heat is considering the deadliest – and most silent – extreme weather condition. From 2018 to 2020, over 3,000 people died from heat-related causes, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Scientists say exposure to a heat index above 80 degrees can lead to fatigue, and, as temperatures gets hotter, the risk continues to increase – potentially resulting in heat stroke or even death. Older adults, children and outdoor workers are generally at higher risk of heat-related illnesses.
Worsening the issue is the fact that extreme heat has become more severe and frequent. Last year was the hottest on record and forecasters expect the trend to continue.
On June 10, the weather service in Spokane, Washington, urged residents to take precautions from the heat: “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.”
Contributing: Ignacio Calderon
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heat dome has Pacific Northwest primed for record temps
