WESTERN U.S. - Weather officials are cautioning that all-time highs in the West might be defeated in the coming days, as a warm wave looks toward California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and British Columbia.

“An abnormally strong ridge of high pressure will bring record-shattering heat to the Pacific Northwest,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said. “The heat will peak at midweek, around Wednesday and Thursday.”

The high temperatures could well mean multiple days in the 100s for California, specifically ranging from Fresno to Redding, as well as Reno, Nevada; Boise, Idaho; and Pendleton, Oregon.

It’s not exactly a record we want to see broken in produce, even if AccuWeather states some of the numbers have held the titles since the late 1800s in the northwestern U.S.

"The current heat wave in the Northwest may end up being the most notable event of the entire summer for the U.S.," commented AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.

Understandably, as temperatures are expected to climb 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit above average as soon as Wednesday and Thursday, experts caution wear light-colored clothing, staying well-hydrated with water, and for those that must be outdoors to take as many breaks as possible in the shade or in air-conditioned indoors.

Likewise, the Agricultural Personnel Management Association’s (APMA) Executive Director Julia Belliard recently addressed the heat as well, asking that California employers please remember the required four steps to prevent heat illness:

• Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention.
• Provide enough fresh water so that each employee can drink at least 1 quart per hour, or four 8 ounce glasses, of water per hour, and encourage them to do so.
• Provide access to shade and encourage employees to take a cool-down rest in the shade for at least 5 minutes. They should not wait until they feel sick to cool down.
• Develop and implement written procedures for complying with the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard.

Additional information can also be found on the Cal/OSHA website.

“The ridge should begin to weaken heading into Friday and Saturday,” Pydynowski said. “So while it will still be very warm with above-normal temperatures, the record-breaking heat should come to an end.”

The most notable heat looks to hit the I-5 corridor in Washington and Oregon. AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this and other current events in the produce industry.