Pacific Northwest heatwave finally winding down as normal August temps return
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, August 13th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON – The summer heat wave that’s been bombarding the Pacific Northwest for weeks on end may finally be dissipating. According to the National Weather Service’s Pendleton office, a series of low-pressure troughs will be moving across Eastern Oregon in the coming week, resulting in cooler temperatures more akin to normal weather patterns for this time of year, possibly even slightly lower than normal.
Keep in mind that, while temperatures will decrease, they will still be in line with what would normally be expected for mid-August. As stated by Larry Nierenberg, lead meteorologist for the Pendleton NWS office, “It’s not like it’s going to be cold, but we’re going from temperatures in the 90s to temperatures in the 80s.”
Generally, temperatures in the coming week can be expected to level off in the mid-80s, particularly for the La Grande area, with some days dropping a few degrees below normal down to the low 80s. Periodic higher temperatures should still be expected, however. In addition, while periodic rain and thunder may pass through, this will largely be confined to mountainous areas. It’s unlikely the region will see heavy precipitation within the next 7-10 days.
Overall, however, Eastern Oregon will see temperatures level-off to a more tolerable and expected point, with 90+ degree days behind us. While a second heat wave isn’t completely impossible, it’s likely that average temperatures are here to stay for the time being, and that average high temperatures will continue to decrease as the season goes on.
