Seattles First Ever Heat Alert

Seattle: 1st heat alert ever

By Donna Gordon Blankinship, Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE — Make that an iced coffee. While the Northeast was bidding farewell to unseasonable temperatures in the 40s, residents of the northwest corner of the nation dusted off the sunscreen and shorts Friday as the National Weather Service issued its first-ever heat advisory for Seattle.

The advisory covering the urban corridor from Tacoma north to Everett was prompted by a second day of record temperatures. Friday's high of 89 degrees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport broke a 33-year-old record for the date. Thursday's high — also 89 degrees — broke a 58-year-old record.

Phyllis Cameron, 92, planned to keep cool with lots of iced tea and a few gin-and-tonics. "I'm just going to enjoy it on the chaise on my deck," said the lifelong Seattle resident.

The weather service, however, was advising that people should drink lots of water, stay indoors and out of the sun, and check on relatives and neighbors.

The advice didn't seem to be taking. Winter-pale flesh was on display in the city's parks, and the streets were packed with people drinking iced coffee.

Seattle is among the cities added this year to the weather service's excessive heat program. A heat advisory means conditions could lead to heat stress in some people and a warning indicates a higher possibility that people will get sick or die.

The organizers of the annual Northwest Folklife music festival welcomed the heat, which boosted attendance for the normally slow first day. Concertgoers crowded into Seattle Center, enjoying the music, the sun and a giant fountain shooting cool water 120 feet into the air.

Last year it rained, said Rafael Maslan, 20, a festival board member.

Seattle-area temperatures were expected to cool over the weekend, and Weather Service meteorologist Dustin Guy said the heat advisory would not be renewed for Saturday.

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