Is it just me or are the PNW summers hotter and drier than they've used to be? (Seattle: 2013, live)

[eqttrdr]

Smoke is new as there's more morons than ever setting fire to things all over the US/Canada blowing smoke in our direction

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Mopac1980

I don't ever remember seeing so much smoke during the summertime until the Summer of 2015 along with this year's summer and last year's summer.

BC wasn't having forest fires back then.

[dozerbear]

Here is 100 years of summer max temps in Seattle:



And precip:



Not any hotter, or drier. We have had a few rough fire seasons lately though.

[fluffydelusions]

You can go to wikipedia and see averages as well as record highs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle#Climate

[Ttark]

Yes they have, and it's a welcome change.

Endless sunshine and beautiful days pi$ses off Portlanders to no end, so there's that added bonus.

Could do without so much smoke, though it has led to some impressive and strikingly beautiful sunsets.

[Mopac1980]

Unfortunately right now there is a major brush fire in the south end of Kennewick (Tri-Cities), WA and these fires are starting to remind me of California.

[PS90]

I don't now if things are getting worse as far as fires go, or they just kind of come-and-go in cycles, or what.

I remember around 2007-2012 or so, most of the wildland firefighters that I know were worried about there IRA's, their kids' college finds, and even just paying the bills because there was a string of years with almost no work.

But now, all of them have been busier than they can handle. Since 2013, and with the exception of 2016, every year has been as bad or worse than most of them can remember in their careers. Even the old firefighters.

[happygrrrl]

This is only my second summer here. I am near the Hood Canal and we have not seen the sun in nearly a week because of the smoke. It looks like winter, very gray and dark with limited distant visibility, only I know it is smoke, not clouds.

This happened last summer, too, I think in August, but I don’t remember that the smoke lasted as long.

For anyone who is a longtime Washington resident, has it always been like this?

Also, for anybody in any other part of the state, how is the smoke situation in your area right now? Are you “socked in” with smoke right now? I have heard it’s worse in eastern Washington. Has anyone seen the sun this week?

Sorry for all the questions. We are pretty new here and don’t know many folks. We don’t have cable TV and have been trying to keep up on the fire situation via internet. Being new residents, this is a little scary to me.

[PartIrish]

Bellingham was socked in with smoke from the BC fires from Monday - Wednesday of this week. Overnight we had breezy conditions and now it is clear again--a welcome change!

[CrazyDonkey]

Seven of the hottest months on record here have been in the last nine years (and six were in the last five years):



Temperature Stats - Seattle Weather Blog