Extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest and possible floodings threats in the Southwest regions of the United States will continue in the coming days, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The adverse weather could also persist during the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, August 13 and August 14.
The high temperatures, called by the US weather agency as a "dangerous heat" in the Northwest US, will impact even areas to the northern-central Great Plains and the Northeast. The ongoing threat could result in heat-related illnesses or even deaths, based on recent reports. The hot weather has been forecasted in recent weeks amid a renewed heat wave hovering from the western to the eastern coasts of the US.
The flood threat in the Southwest US is being caused by heavy rain from the so-called monsoonal moisture or Southwest monsoon. It is part of the North American monsoon, which is recurrently compared to the more severe and long-lasting South Asia monsoon season. The weather event is responsible for causing flash flooding and excessive rainfall with little or without warning.
The rollercoaster weather conditions, especially the heat dome in North America, Europe, and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere have been attributed by some climate scientists and meteorologists to climate change and global warming. In the US, the La Niña weather pattern.
NWS Weather Forecast
The NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC) in College Park, Maryland, issued the said heat and wet weather forecast on Monday, August 8. The so-called short-range forecast is valid from Tuesday to Thursday, August 9 to August 11. However, the relevance of the weather outlook could be updated or extended beyond the given period.
The US weather agency cited the last remaining days of "The Dog Days of Summer", a period which spans from July 3 to August 3, will come to an end this week. Yet, states in the Northwest and the Plains could still see the continuance of heat by Wednesday, August 10; while the Northeast could see a semblance of some relief.
In its update, the NWS said heavy rain and flash flooding threat is still imminent from the Ohio Valley in to the Central Appalachians, which include the recently the flood-ravaged Eastern Kentucky, where at least 37 people died from the torrential rain-triggered mountain flooding in late July.
Also Read: Heat Alert: Over 70 Million Americans at Risk of High Temperatures Until Late Week
Dangerous Heat and Southwest Monsoon
During the recent weekend, a heat advisory was issued for Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington from Sunday, August 7, to Monday, according to local news network KTVL.
While the advisory did not pertain to a catastrophic event similar to last year's heat wave in the region, its reoccurrence in the coming days cannot be ruled out, based on the NWS forecast.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people were stranded following the historic monsoon rain and flooding in the Death Valley National Park in California, which led to road closures and large-scale road traffic disruption, according to Fox Weather.
The flash flooding was aggravated by thunderstorms driven by the summertime monsoon pattern, the US media network says.
Related Article: Mountain Flooding Threatens Kentucky Once Again After Floodwaters Killed At Least 37 People