Excessive Heat — Okanogan Valley, Washington

2021-06-26 to 2021-06-30 · Okanogan Valley, Washington

Event narrative

From June 26th through 30th, peak temperatures across the Okanogan Valley reached 100 to 117 degrees. Overnight low temperatures cooled to a warm 67 to 73 degrees. Omak reached an all time record high temperature of 117 degrees on the afternoon of June 29th. Local libraries were arranged to act as cooling centers for those with out air conditioning across the area. A report from the Washington Department of Health stated that there were four heat-related deaths in Okanogan County. Further specifics were statewide and not given by counties.

Wider weather episode

A strong dome of hot high pressure over the Inland Northwest pushed afternoon high temperatures into record territory. In late June 2021, a long-lived heatwave broke many daily, monthly, and all time maximum high and low temperature records at several stations.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 968535. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.