Seattle, Northwest to see some relief from record temps

The mercury is expected to hit around 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Seattle on Tuesday — and that’s a small measure of relief.

The Pacific Northwest is reeling from an unusual dome of heat, with temperatures reaching a record 108 degrees F in Washington state’s largest city on Monday.

It got so bad that roads buckled and cracked in the area, which typically sees temperatures in the mid-70s in late June.

Dozens of people went to the emergency room in Seattle and the area is primed for wildfire, while the lasting impact on Northwest salmon won’t be known for weeks, according to the Seattle Times.

Marine air created a wild nighttime swing down to the 60s, and temperatures are expected to ease to the 80s by later in the week, though it is still warm for the region.

The high temperatures are being blamed on a high-pressure “heat dome” that traps warm weather. The heat wave also is raising questions about the changing climate and what it portends for the future.

Things weren’t any better north of the border. Canada recorded its highest temperature ever, at 116 degrees, Monday in Lytton, British Columbia.

Media reports say sales of air conditioners — devices once scoffed at in the region — have soared.