From the local ABC TV station

Dear Linda,

You probably don't need a thermometer to know we're squarely into the Dog Days of Summer, but just in case you do have one, it certainly read over 90 degrees Friday afternoon -- or perhaps even over 100 -- as western Washington endures its hottest heat wave since 1998. Here are some of the high temperatures: Vancouver (WA): 104 Portland: 104 Shelton: 102 Kelso: 100 Olympia: 100 Bremerton: 99 Seattle: 97 Renton: 97 Tacoma: 97 Arlington: 93 Friday Harbor: 92 Hoquiam: 90 Everett: 90 Forks: 89 Port Angeles: 89 Bellingham: 88 Eastern Washington was over 100 in many spots, and you look at that list and see a lot of places that don't get hot even during heat waves (Friday Harbor, Port Angeles, Hoquiam) really sweltering today. The record high for Seattle was 94, so it's been broken. In fact, 97 makes it the hottest day since it hit 97 on July 28, 1998. Olympia's record high is also history with their 100-degree reading, breaking the old record of 96. Hoquiam's 90 also broke their record high of 89. Those triple digit readings around Portland are also all records, with Hillsboro, Oregon tying their all-time record high with a 108-degree reading Friday. As to where we go from here, first up is a very warm and stuffy night. Overnight lows tonight will be in the mid-upper 60s -- we're only expecting it to get down to 69 in Seattle tonight. Saturday, it's more of the same, but it now looks like it'll be juuust a little bit cooler. It looks like the air mass will cool just a tad, and there might be some high clouds drifting north from a weak system in Oregon that could block out a few sun rays. Still, it'll be hard to notice as it's still well beyond sweltering by Seattle standards. Temperatures Saturday are expected to reach the low 90s -- we're going 92 for Seattle, which would end up short of the record high of 95. As usual, a little hotter away from Puget Sound and toward the foothills. The coast -- especially the south coast -- could see some drastic cooling Saturday afternoon as the winds shift from northwest to southwest and blow the cool air off the ocean. This windshift will be moving north through the day. Another toasty night Saturday night, with lows near 70. Sunday is our transition day in the western Washington interior with that wind shift to cooler weather gradually moving east through the day. However, it's not looking like the cooler air will make too much headway until Sunday night. Thus, yet another toasty day in the Puget Sound area, but highs should "only" make it to the upper 80s. The cooler marine flow gets a little more footing for Monday, cooling us out of the sweltering category. But with a still very-warm air mass in place, we're still looking at afternoon temperatures in the low-mid 80s. The gradual cooling trend continues through the week as the marine flow just a little stronger each day, and helps cool off the air mass a little more. Highs Tuesday will drop back to around 80, then upper 70s for Wednesday and mid 70s by the end of the week. Stay cool out there! more...

Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weather Producer Scott Sistek