More clouds are now moving into western New England, bringing humidity with them and laying the stage for showers on Monday.

summer-like vibes give rise to fire-weather fears
The last night of a two week stay on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
(Photo : Sean Oulashin/Unsplash)

The Pacific Northwest, which is known for its dismal, damp weather for much of the year, is experiencing summer-like weather as a high-pressure system raises temperatures and alerts first responders to fires, as per NBC News.

Multiple high-temperature records were broken in the Seattle region on Saturday, with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reaching 77 degrees, 16 degrees above average, and Quillayute Airport on the northern Washington coast reaching 83, according to official forecasts.

The high-pressure ridge is pushing air west, resulting in dry offshore winds that warm as they go down mountain slopes and compress the air.

A red flag warning line runs along the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, from the California-Oregon boundary to the U.S.

According to the National Weather Service, the border with Canada is closed.

The warnings indicated that fire beginnings might swiftly turn into catastrophic wildfires.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, no large new fires have been connected to this heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, but 18 big wildfires that have burnt more than 370,000 acres are still ongoing.

The Cedar Creek Fire, which is located about 150 miles south of Portland, Oregon, was ignited by lightning on August 1 and was still burning on Saturday.

According to the US Forest Service, the fire has burnt 123,861 acres and is only 40% controlled due to "severe fire hazard." 

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Michalski, a lot of wildfire smoke is affecting air quality in the region.

The Puget Sound region was anticipated to have unhealthy air all weekend.

The air at Cheeka Peak, a summit in Washington's far northwestern region, was "unhealthy for sensitive populations" on Saturday, according to the partnership.

The weather forecast remained similar, with the National Weather Service office in Portland, Oregon, anticipating warm, dry, and windy conditions through Sunday, with gusts of up to 20 miles per hour possible.

A Pacific trough might bring rain to Portland on Monday and Tuesday, but summer-like weather could return on Wednesday.

Also Read: Climate change makes summer weather stormier yet more stagnant

Plenty of Sun Before the Arrival of Rain in New England

Light to moderate showers will become scattered and move into Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Eastern Massachusetts by Monday lunchtime, as per NBC Boston.

While some rain may accompany this system, most of the heavier rain is expected to fall in western Massachusetts, as well as central/northern Vermont and New Hampshire.

The Cape is expected to get a nice shot of rain tonight into Tuesday, with most of the activity clearing out by Tuesday afternoon/evening.

While the front moves out on Tuesday, taking most of the clouds with it, colder temperatures will remain.

Fortunately for us, we'll be able to bask in the sun for several days.

So, with temperatures in the 50s on Wednesday and Thursday, it won't seem too horrible, especially with the brilliant sun shining over most of New England and helping us warm up to the 60s by the end of the work week.

Surprisingly, much of the country will experience a "calm" week. That meandering low spinning over the big lakes will be the focus.

The frontal boundary that is causing showers from Arizona to Tennessee today and tomorrow will shift south on Tuesday, and a high-pressure system will take over much of the United States.

The next weekend looks fantastic, with highs in the upper 60s, dry weather, and more sun.

Related article: Wisconsin Wednesday Forecast is Warm Summer Weather at 80F Through the Weekend