PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Same song and dance! That is the phrase of the week as we have yet another beautiful summer day coming for the Pacific Northwest (PNW).
Thursday will start with sunshine and afternoon highs in the lower 80s. It will resemble the forecast that we had going for our Wednesday. The coast may begin the day with some low clouds, but it should clear up to a partly to mostly sunny day. The wind is running out of the WNW around 5-15 mph. Stronger on the eastern Gorge with gusts pushing 20. Temperature also nearing the upper 80s to 90 degrees around The Dalles.
You may recall earlier in the week we were discussing all the wildfire smoke around the region. This remains an issue as we wrap up the week with smoke being transported from California wildfires and locally across central and eastern Oregon. That is where it will be the heaviest and that is where the air quality will remain an issue. Check out the weather model below that is giving an idea of where smoke will be coming from Thursday afternoon. It has practically spread across the whole United States outside of the Gulf area and parts of the Pacific Northwest.
Meanwhile, as Hurricane Laura impacts the Gulf region, two tropical storms are churning in the Eastern Pacific. Both Tropical Storm Iselle and Tropical Storm Hernan are planned to travel around the Baja California Sur region for the next few days. Both expected to stay tropical storms, meaning they should stay below hurricane-force winds. From time to time some of the moisture from these tropical storms will find a way to our region. It may also mean more to fuel storms for California, leading to more lightning.