Meteorologists and health experts are urging people to practice extreme caution around lakes and rivers this holiday weekend and not be fooled by warm weather.
SPOKANE, Wash. — As the weather starts to warm up, many people’s Memorial Day weekend plans might involve lake or river activities. But officials are warning the community that being in the water right now is still extremely dangerous.
The National Weather Service (NWS) says right now water temperatures are sitting in the high 40s and mid 50s, which is warmer than last year due to the light snowpack we experienced this year, but remains dangerous.
Experts say anything under 60 degrees is extremely dangerous because it can cause your body to go into cold shock within minutes, meaning you can lose the ability to move and hold yourself above water. Cold shock can also lead to hypothermia.
Jeremy Wolf, a NWS meteorologist, adds that besides the cold water, the current is something else people should be aware of.
“Well, you know, there is just so much emphasis on water temperature, like what is my body going to feel, a lot of times, how swift the current is may not enter the mind of folks as much,” said Wolf. “We are in that time of year, given the spring snow melt season, where those currents are still elevated compared to an average summer day.”
Alcohol and cold water can also be a dangerous combination. The Journal of Wilderness Medicine says alcohol widens your blood vessels, tricking your body into feeling warm while causing your core temperature to drop, which increases the risk of hypothermia.
Some signs of hypothermia include blurred vision, uncontrollable shivering and loss of dexterity.
“Really its the difference in temperature where you’re going from it being 80 degrees outside to going in the cold water and that affects everybody, whether you’re a child, an adult, elderly…it can affect your ability to stay above the water if you experience that shock and can’t get out of the water within that 3 to 5 minute timeframe,” said Wolf.
Data from both the Spokane and Spokane Valley Fire Departments shows that over the last 2 years, both swift water rescue teams have responded to a combined total of nearly 110 water rescue incidents.
The Spokane Regional Health District reports that last year, Spokane County saw 10 drowning-related deaths, which is down by 2 compared to 2024.
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