Another period of very warm weather affected Western Washington at the end of August, helping set a few new record maximum temperatures. In general, daytime high temperatures ranged from the mid 80s to low 90s for the interior lowlands and mountain valleys; 70s for the coast.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.
Another period of very warm weather affected Western Washington at the end of August, helping set a few new record maximum temperatures. In general, daytime high temperatures ranged from the mid 80s to low 90s for the interior lowlands and mountain valleys; 70s for the coast. Overnight low temperatures were in the low to mid 60s. This posed a moderate risk for heat related impacts, with isolated areas of high heat risk.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Seattle, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 24, 7:41 PM PST, 4 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
841 PM PDT Wed Aug 24 2022
.SYNOPSIS...Sunny skies and unusually warm temperatures through Thursday
will result in moderate heat risk and related impacts. Afternoon
and evening showers and thunderstorms are possible over the
Cascades on Thursday. The pattern will shift Friday allowing a
quick cooldown with even the potential for showers and cooler than
normal temperatures into the weekend. A return to high pressure
early next week will result in dry weather and above normal
temperatures.
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...No major changes to the
forecast this evening, as it remains on track. Thunderstorm
activity across the North Cascades was weakened significantly
within the past hour given the loss of daytime heating.
Weak low level onshore flow will continue overnight with marine
stratus again in the morning along the Coast, down the Strait, and
into the Lower Chehalis Valley/SW Interior. The upper level low
will finally push east of the area Thursday allowing upper level
heights to build into the area with the boost in subsidence
helping bump afternoon temperatures Thursday well into the upper
80s and low 90s for much of the W WA lowlands. The Heat Advisory
will continue with an increase in heat-related impacts
particularly for heat sensitive groups.
Stronger onshore flow and a somewhat weaker upper level heights Friday
will bring the marine layer back to the interior with stratus
Friday morning, and cooler near normal temperatures. An
approaching upper level shortwave later in the day Friday will
bring increasing cloud cover and even light showers at times to
much of the area overnight into Saturday morning. The shortwave
trough will move across the area on Saturday, with high temps
dipping back into the 70s, possibly even below normal, resulting
in the coolest day of the week. Sunday will trend to the drier
side than Saturday, with morning clouds clearing in the afternoon
and near normal temperatures.
.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...Ensemble guidance continue
to highlight the redevelopment of an upper level ridge over the
Western US beginning Monday into midweek, with most of the
variability in the solutions associated with the magnitude of that
ridge. The pattern will keep conditions dry, with a warming trend
through the Pacific Northwest through midweek. Expect near normal
temperatures Monday warming to above normal Tuesday and Wednesday.
&&
.AVIATION...Northerly flow into Thursday with an upper ridge
building to the west of the area. VFR cigs this evening. Increasing
low clouds along the coast tonight and potentially as far as near
KOLM Thursday morning. VFR for most areas Thursday with clouds along
the coast for much of the day. Lighter north winds tonight.
KSEA...Mostly clear skies with VFR through Thursday. Northerly
surface winds through this evening will ease tonight and into
Thursday. JD
&&
.MARINE...Northwest winds over the coastal waters through the week.
Increasing winds across the outer coastal waters Thursday evening
for potential brief Small Craft Advisory winds, though mainly below
SCA. SCA winds Friday afternoon into Friday night for the coastal
waters. Increasing west winds through the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Thursday evening and likely SCA winds Friday evening. A weather
system will bring additional increasing winds over the waters,
especially coastal waters on Saturday for potential SCA. Swells of 3
to 5 feet through Friday, increasing Friday night and Saturday for
the coast. JD/18
&&
.HYDROLOGY...The daily hydrology discussion has ended until the
start of the next rainy season; it will only be updated as needed.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Heat Advisory until midnight PDT Thursday night for Bellevue and
Vicinity-Bremerton and Vicinity-East Puget Sound Lowlands-
Everett and Vicinity-Hood Canal Area-Lower Chehalis Valley
Area-Seattle and Vicinity-Southwest Interior-Tacoma Area-
Western Skagit County-Western Whatcom County.
PZ...None.
&&4 heat. Local standard time, as filed.
A record high temperature of 89 degrees was set at the Seattle WFO, tying the old record of 89 set in 1916.
A record high temperature of 88 was set at the Hoquiam airport, breaking the old record of 83 set in 1968.
A record high temperature of 90 degrees was set at the Sea-Tac airport, breaking the old record of 88 degrees set in 1987.
A record high temperature of 92 degrees was set at the Olympia airport, breaking the old record of 90 set in 1987.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, August 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1055413, 1055414, 1055415, 1055416.