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As the last and most blistering day of Portland’s heat wave slowly climbs to its peak, Multnomah County declared a state of emergency and officials announced they will open two daytime cooling centers from noon to 9 pm, in addition to the over 60 recommended cooling spaces such as libraries, community centers and misting stations.
Inside, the two cooling centers will provide snacks, water, community resources, hygiene supplies and a general air conditioned space for people and pets to be during the day.
This comes after yesterday’s temperatures rose to 93, and the National Weather Service forecasts to see even higher today–around 97 to 98 degrees–leading the county to declare a state of emergency in effect until 10 p.m. tonight due to dangerous temperatures.
Along with the County’s cooling centers, four libraries–Albina Library, Central Library, East County Library and Midland Library–have opened their doors for extended hours until 8 p.m. tonight.
The County relies on the National Weather Service’s Heat Risk Index and consultation with the County Health Department to decide if cooling centers should open. The decision is based on a range of factors beyond surface temperature and includes the temperature in relation to historical averages, humidity, time of year, and nighttime temperatures.
This allows the county to make decisions based on several moving factors at once rather than a rigid temperature threshold, says Sarah Dean, Multnomah County spokesperson.
“For example, the same high temperature in June might be considered more of a health risk than it would be in August, when people are more acclimated to heat,” Dean told WW. “Our thresholds account for that.”
Cooling centers also open based on factors such as urgent care visits and heat related ambulance calls as well as the air quality index and nearby wildfires.
Meanwhile, TriMet is activating its extreme weather fare policy Monday, saying it will not turn away anyone unable to pay the fare travelling to and from cooling centers from 11 am to 10 pm.
Though TriMet plans to eliminate fares for those in need of cooling centers today, the agency warns of potential delays in service lines due to the heat, should temperatures cross 100 degrees.
In temperatures over 100 degrees all MAX lines are reduced to a speed of under 35 mph, resulting in delays of up to 30 minutes. This is because of the MAX’s copper system that expands in the heat, leading the overhead power wires to sag, forcing the trains to slow down.
TriMet also warned of similar issues with the other routes as WES lines are reduced to 40 mph in over 100 degree temperatures and buses may experience heat-related delays due to things such as overheating cars and power outages.
While overnight shelters will not be open due to a decrease in nighttime temperatures, Multnomah County advises those seeking overnight shelter to call 2-1-1.
