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As Portland stares down the barrel of a sweltering end of the week—with temperatures projected to break seasonal records and reach the upper 90s through the weekend—meteorologists advise residents to begin preparing now.
It might seem far-fetched when you look out the window at a chilly drizzle, but Portland will see a steady climb in temperatures throughout the week, with Sunday expected to break the previous record for June 14 by nine degrees for a predicted high of 98 degrees. David Bishop, Meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Portland office is working on getting the word out to residents to opt for inside activities during the weekend’s temperature peak.
“It’s not out of the question to see some daytime highs of 100, maybe even 101,” Bishop told WW.
Indeed, the latest forecast from the NWS puts the chances of 100-degree temperatures on Sunday and Monday between 20% and 40%.
Bishop also warned that initial impulses to escape the hear—like jumping in a nearby river—can be dangerous. The difference in temperature between the air and the water, paired with the swift early-summer currents, could be life-threatening.
“You should definitely go check on your neighbors, check on your friends, your family, you know, keep an eye on them, and just give them a heads up and let them know,” Bishop told WW.
The disastrous heat dome that hit Portland just five years ago and resulted in 72 deaths informed the NWS efforts to increase heat awareness, Bishop says.
Multnomah County has historically opened emergency cooling shelters under the conditions meteorologists are forecasting for the weekend. County health officials did not immediately respond to an inquiry from WW about their plans.
Additionally, Bishop encourages individuals to be aware of secondary impacts from the heat wave, including the potential of wildfires igniting. This, Bishop says, can occur from things as little as leaving a hot car on dry grass for long periods of time, chains dragging on the pavement, or discarded cigarette butts.
As winds simultaneously ramp-up throughout the week, the threat of wildfires becomes more prevalent. Following an abnormally dry January and February, the risks of wildfires compound throughout the summer and Bishop says now is a critically important time to stay vigilant against starting fires.
“There are ways to just be aware and reduce those human…potential ignition sources,” Bishop told WW.
