Unusually early heat wave in Pacific Northwest tests records

PORTLAND, Oregon — An early heat wave hit parts of the Pacific Northwest on Saturday, with temperatures approaching or breaking records in some areas and heat advisories in place through Monday. rice field.

The historically warm region is facing scorching summer temperatures and unprecedented wildfires caused by recent climate change.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for much of western Oregon and western Washington from Saturday through Monday. The report said the temperatures could increase the risk of heatstroke, especially for those who are dehydrated or unable to cool effectively.

Temperatures in Portland, Oregon, are expected to hit the low 90s (32 degrees Celsius) over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures at Portland International Airport hit 93°F (33.9°C) on Saturday, breaking the 92°F (33.3°C) record set in 1973, according to the National Weather Service Portland Office. The agency said temperatures could still rise slightly by the end of the day. By late afternoon, several Oregon communities were hitting record highs.

Temperatures at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were 84 degrees Fahrenheit (28.9 degrees Celsius) as of mid-afternoon on Saturday, with temperatures expected to rise even higher in the area on Sunday, said Trent Davis, a meteorologist with the Seattle Bureau of Meteorology. is expected. The highest temperature at the airport on Saturday was 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees Celsius), the last record for 2018, he said. Temperatures at the airport could reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) on Sunday.

Unseasonably high temperatures could fuel dozens of fires in western Alberta, prompting authorities to order evacuations and declare a state of emergency. Residents and officials in the Northwest should adapt to the reality of longer and hotter heatwaves expected after 2021’s deadly “heat dome” weather event that caused record temperatures and deaths across the region. I am striving.

Among those cooling off at a fountain in downtown Portland on Friday afternoon were Elizabeth Romero and her three children.

“We’ve decided to stop by until everyone feels better,” she said, adding that they’ll be looking for shaded parks on weekends.

Seattle’s home county, King County, has instructed bus drivers and other transportation operators to offer free rides to anyone seeking a break from the heat or heading to a cooling center. The county’s regional homeless agency said several cooling facilities and day centers will open in the county.

Officials also urged people to beware of cold water temperatures if they want to swim in rivers and lakes to cool off. Higa, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said the water temperature in the river was probably in the low to mid-40s (4.4 to 7.2 degrees Celsius).

Residents and officials in the Pacific Northwest are warning of heatwaves after the heat dome event that occurred in late June and early July 2021 killed nearly 800 people in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Be more vigilant about preparedness. The temperature at that time rose to the highest temperature. -Portland recorded a high of 116°F (46.7°C), breaking heat records for cities and towns across the region. Most of the dead were elderly people living alone.

In response, Oregon passed a law requiring all new homes built after April 2024 to have air conditioning in at least one room. Laws already prohibit landlords from restricting tenants from installing cooling equipment in their rental units in most cases.

Last summer, the city of Portland launched a heat program aimed at installing portable heat pumps and chillers in low-income households, prioritizing older residents who live alone and those with underlying medical conditions. Local nonprofits participating in the program installed more than 3,000 units last year, according to the city’s Planning and Sustainability Department.

Officials in Portland’s home city of Multnomah County said they have no plans to open a special cooling center right now, but they are monitoring forecasts and may open one if needed.

“This is the first major event and it’s too early for us,” said County Crisis Manager Chris Voss. “I haven’t heard anything about it being very dangerous. Having said that, I don’t know if it will drift.”

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Associated Press reporter Ed Komenda, who lives in Seattle, and Becky Boehler, who lives in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to the report.

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Claire Rush is a member of the Associated Press/Congressional Press Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national service program that sends journalists to local newsrooms to report on cover-up issues.