WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Alert level for impending heat wave changes again; plus, where to cool off

(Sunday sunset, photographed by Lynn Hall)

As hot weather approaches, the National Weather Service has changed the alert level again. Now it’s an Excessive Heat Warning, in effect from noon Tuesday to 4 pm Friday, and temperatures in the upper 90s are possible. (“Warning” is the highest alert level, compared to “watch” or “advisory,” both of which were issued earlier.) The city has sent out a list of where you can go to cool off if you need to. For West Seattle, the Senior Center (California/Oregon) is air-conditioned and will be open weekdays 8:30 am-4:30 pm; the Delridge and High Point branches of the Seattle Public Library both are fully air-conditioned – both are open 1 pm-8 pm Tuesday, 11 am-6 pm Wednesday and Thursday, while Delridge is closed Friday but High Point is open 11 am-6 pm. Got a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, or other facility that will be air conditioned and open for public use? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

P.S. Today’s official high = 87.

KayK July 25, 2022 (7:47 pm)

For our insecurely housed neighbors here’s a list with more options including the White Center Community Center at 9050 16th Ave SW.

Kyle July 25, 2022 (8:19 pm)

Will the southwest library be closed because they built that one without AC? Also any idea on when they will fix that mistake and upgrade it to AC?

WSB July 25, 2022 (9:00 pm)

SW has AC in part of the building. According to the SPL website, it closed early today because of hot indoor temps.

As for the other question, SPL “is pursuing funding” per this:
https://shelftalkblog.wordpress.com/2022/07/21/escape-the-heat-at-the-seattle-public-library/
- Kyle July 27, 2022 (8:33 pm)
  
  If the AC doesn’t work well enough to keep the building open then they don’t have AC. This branch is frequently closed when temps get in the 80s. Which is like half the summer now.
  - WSB July 27, 2022 (9:25 pm)
    
    The problem with the Southwest Library is that only part of the building is air-conditioned.

StopCuttingDownTrees July 25, 2022 (10:31 pm)

That high of 87 was at SeaTac Airport. Arbor Heights had 84 according to Accuweather. With those now-3 x 2-mile runways and miles of new taxiways, roads, and tarmac, the official Seattle temperature readings should be moved back to UW. The airport area is much more paved and hotter than it used to be and doesn’t reflect true Seattle-area temps like it used to.

Joe Z July 26, 2022 (8:52 am)

Sea-Tac airport is colder than UW overall because it is at a higher elevation and closer to the water. It is often a warm spot during heat waves when there is northerly or easterly winds. The runway has little to do with it. The warm biases of a few years ago were caused by an improperly calibrated temperature sensor.

Sun lover July 26, 2022 (8:13 am)

Are there any businesses planning to close early due to the heat like last year?

S July 26, 2022 (9:01 am)

Aren’t these normal summer temperatures for late July?

WSB July 26, 2022 (9:07 am)

No, they are not. For example per
https://w1.weather.gov/data/SEW/CLISEA
yesterday’s normal high would have been 79.

Carole July 26, 2022 (10:18 am)

S’s question was referring to LATE JULY, not JULY 25th.

WSB July 26, 2022 (10:33 am)

What? There’s not some drastic change in the normal temperature between now and the next few days. I see the average daily temperatures every day while checking the weather forecast for the morning traffic/weather roundup. They change incrementally and we are pretty much at the peak. There is no time at which 90s is “normal” for Seattle. – TR
Auntie July 26, 2022 (11:12 am)

If the 25th of July isn’t “late July,” then what is? Must we wait until the 31st for it to be “late?”
Auntie July 27, 2022 (10:00 pm)

OK, is it late July yet?

Kirby C July 26, 2022 (7:31 pm)

That’s right, temps in the 90s aren’t normal, but they are also not unheard of either. The normal high temperatures for this time of year are in the upper 70s (generally speaking). Climatologically speaking it is the warmest time of the year, normal high temperatures begin to drop towards the mid 70s by the third week of August.