The sun is out, as if summer suddenly arrived, so what better time to learn how to harness its power than by taking a class on solar power being held by Burien Parks on Sunday June 7th and Saturday June 13th?

Here are the details:

WHAT: Solar Energy: Power Your Home Naturally Tap into the power of solar energy. Find out ways to reduce your energy costs at home and business with this great class on solar technologies.

WHEN: Sunday, June 7th and Saturday, June 13th

WHERE: Burien Community Center, located at 425 SW 144th Street

COST: $20 per person

INFO: Are you ready to invest in a solar energy system for your home or business?

Do you need more information before you take the first step?

Come by our solar energy class and get up to speed on which solar technologies are available, how much they cost, and how to get the system you want.

Class is conducted by Solar Epiphany, a licensed solar contractor dedicated to educating the community.

REGISTER: Call (206) 988-3700 or register online here.

The patented B-Town Blog Weather Rock® is already showing serious signs of melting due to the recent heat wave that’s come in,  so please be aware of the dangers of the following throughout the hot weekend ahead (yay.):

• Pets in cars
• Elderly neighbors or family members
• Magical, large boulders used to predict weather

From the National Weather Service comes this “Advisory”:

…Hot weather across western Washington into the weekend…

A strong ridge of high pressure will build over the Pacific northwest today and persist through at least Saturday. Temperatures on Thursday will be noticeably warmer across western Washington under sunny skies. Offshore flow will strengthen on Friday with much hotter temperatures expected through Saturday.

Some spots may exceed the record high temperatures over the next few days.

Temperatures Thursday are expected to range from the upper 70s and 80s at the coast with widespread 80s across the interior. On Friday and Saturday interior areas north of Seattle will continue in the 80s with temperatures rising mainly into the low and mid 90s around the Puget Sound region… foothills…and southwest interior.

A switch to onshore flow will first occur Saturday afternoon along the coast resulting in cooler high temperatures. Temperatures will begin to moderate across the interior on Sunday as onshore flow increases.

Be careful of the heat in the coming days and check up on the elderly. Stay hydrated and avoid vigorous activity during the heat of the day. Never leave pets in a parked car.

The record temps to beat at SeaTac Airport are (go mercury!):

• THURS. 8/14: 88 (set in 2005)
• FRI. 8/15: 92 (set in 1967)
• SAT. 8/16: 98 (set in 1967) 

So…enjoy another fine summer weekend, but be careful out there.

5/13/08 9pm UPDATE: You know things aren’t quite right when the Weather Service issues an Advisory about hot, sunny weather.

Either that or we’re on the verge of being in an Al Gore Powerpoint…

Here’s what they wrote and posted today, in their ever-so-exciting meteorologist-speak:

…Unseasonably hot weather to affect western Washington from Thursday through Saturday…

After a cool and cloudy Spring in western Washington…a dramatic shift to hot and sunny weather will take place starting Thursday.

The hottest locations on Thursday will be along the coast…where high temperatures will approach 80 degrees. Over the interior…a cool northerly wind down Puget Sound will hold temperatures back only in the 70s.

On average…Friday will be the hottest day in western Washington. Nearly all lowland locations more than a mile or two from saltwater will reach at least the mid and upper 80s…while locations from Olympia south through Lewis County should reach the lower 90s.

Saturday and Sunday should see some cooling along the coast…where daytime temperatures should fall back into the 70s. However…interior locations along the I-5 corridor should still be quite warm with daytime temperatures well into the 80s again. The unseasonably warm weather is expected to end on Monday of next week.

Several record high temperatures will be in jeopardy from Thursday through Saturday. The following table compares the official NWS forecast with record highs at a few locations. Asterices indicate records that would be broken or tied based on the current forecast.

Though it is not forecast…if Sea-Tac Airport reaches 90 degrees during the upcoming hot spell…it would be the earliest 90-degree day on record at Sea-Tac. Currently…the earliest occurrence of 90-degree weather occurred on may 20 1963…when the high reached 92 degrees.

After such cool weather this Spring…people should refresh themselves on basic hot weather tips. When the weather warms up… be sure to drink plenty of water…wear lightweight and light colored clothing…and be sure to protect yourself from sunburn by wearing sunscreen and a hat.

When the weather heats up…it may be tempting to jump into area lakes and rivers…some of which will have slightly elevated levels due to snowmelt brought on by the hot weather. Keep in mind that most lake water temperatures are still in the 40s after the Cool Spring weather. Rivers fed with snowmelt could easily have water temperatures in the 30s. During Spring heat waves of this
magnitude…it can be an ironic Twist of fate for people to escape the heat by jumping into river and lakes…only to suffer or even die from the hypothermia brought on by the frigid water temperatures. Despite the hot weather…people should still use cold water safety practices by wearing a wetsuit when going into such cold waters.

Lastly…with plenty of snow still left in the mountains…the current rain system and the upcoming hot spell will provide substantially increasing avalanche danger this week. Please refer to latest forecasts and statements from the northwest weather and avalanche center at www.Nwac.US.

It may be hard to believe right now, considering today’s gray drizzle, but allegedly, according to the supposed “Weather Experts,” our climate will be changing within a mere 48 hours to something very summer-like, to the (hold onto your wool hats) upper 70s and 80s!

Check out the forecast for Thursday through Sunday: