State Verifies New All-Time High Temp Record in 2021(Hanford)

The weather wizards at the NWS in Pendleton are giddy!

STATE CERTIFIES THAT 120 DEGREE DAY AT HANFORD IN 2021 IS NEW RECORD

How could we forget last summer? Boiling, paint-bubbling heat. At least we got history out of it. According to the National Weather Service in Pendleton, the folks who officially review potential temperature records say both WA and OR record marks from 2021 are official.

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OFFICIALS REVIEW RECORDS, EQUIPMENT, AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO ENSURE ACCURACY

It's official. We now own the hottest temp in WA history, from 2021 (NWS)

They want to make sure equipment, location of sensor equipment and other factors didn't artificially contribute to record heat or cold. From the NWS:

"The State Climate Extremes Committee has verified a new all-time Washington maximum temperature record of 120°F in Hanford, WA on June 29, 2021. This breaks the old record of 118°F set in Wahluke, WA on July 24, 1928, and in Ice Harbor Dam, WA on August 5, 1961."

And, Oregon got a mark too:

"The State Climate Extremes Committee has also verified a tied all-time Oregon maximum temperature record of 119°F at Pelton Dam, OR and Moody Farms Agrimet in OR on 29 June 2021. This ties the old record of 119°F at Prineville, OR on July 29, 1898, and Pendleton, OR on Aug 10, 1898."

According to the NWS, here's why the record temps occurred:

"1) A persistent ridge of high pressure

2) A widespread drought

3) Intense June solar radiation

This resulted in high temps well above 100, with lows in the 60s & 70s."

The NWS says all in all, 128 all-time heat temp records were tied or broken across Washington state during the period of June 25-30, 2021. Whew!