NWS heat advisory continues as Tuesday's high could hit 100 in Twin Cities

A National Weather Service (NWS) heat advisory that was issued last Friday remains in effect throughout Lewis County until Tuesday, July 9, at 10 p.m. according to the NWS website. In East Lewis County, red flag warnings for increased wildfire danger remain in place.

Monday’s high was predicted to hit 99 degrees in the Chehalis River Valley. On Tuesday, the temperature is predicted to hit 100 at the Chehalis-Centralia Airport. In Centralia, the high was predicted to be 101 on Monday and 102 on Tuesday.

Should the temperatures actually hit those heights, it will break record highs for the Twin Cities.

“I don’t have an official record high for Chehalis, but I do have Centralia, and I have a record high there of 97 from 1985,” Reid Wolcott, a meteorologist for the NWS office in Seattle, told The Chronicle in a phone call.

This heatwave has already broken other temperature records here in Washington, “including at SeaTac (high of 93),” on Sunday, July 7, the NWS Seattle office said in an X post.

The previous record high at SeaTac was 90 set in 2010, and the high in Olympia on Sunday was 97, beating the previous record high of 95 set in 1953.

Temperatures are expected to remain in the 80s even after the major heatwave ends later this week. The increased temperatures will continue to raise the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially among those who are sensitive to heat or lack proper shelter, cooling and hydration.

The NWS recommends those in the region drink plenty of water, stay in an air-conditioned room if possible, stay out of the sun if outside and check up on relatives and neighbors who may need assistance.

Additionally, children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.

With the red flag warning in effect, those in East Lewis County are advised to be especially aware of the increased fire danger.

For those looking to escape the hotter temperatures, cooling centers have been set up at Timberland Regional Library locations throughout the county as well as at the Salvation Army of Lewis County.

Located at 303 N. Gold St. in Centralia, the Salvation Army will be open on July 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. providing shelter and water. The Salvation Army will continue to offer its regular lunch program Wednesday through Friday, which begins at 11 a.m.

To find out where the nearest Timberland Regional Library location is along with hours of operation, visit timberland.bibliocommons.com/v2/locations .

For the NWS forecast for the Chehalis-Centralia Airport, visit the NWS website at https://bit.ly/3XYA78n . Visit https://bit.ly/3Wd4wOV to view the forecast for Centralia.