An Extreme Heat Watch is now in effect for the Portland metro area and Columbia River Gorge as the Pacific Northwest braces for its first heat wave of the summer, with record-high temperatures possible from the weekend into the start of next week.
Saturday is expected to be the opening act, with afternoon highs in the lower 90s. By Sunday, temperatures are forecast to climb into the upper 90s, and some places could hit triple digits. Monday looks even hotter, with triple-digit readings more likely as offshore flow peaks in intensity, before a turn to onshore flow on Tuesday brings only limited relief and highs still in the 90s.
National Weather Service forecaster Bobby Corser said this will be the hottest weather of the year so far, and that the first long stretch of summer weather is arriving right on cue after the Rose Festival low. The watch extends south to the central Willamette Valley and north along the Columbia River, widening the area facing several days of dangerous heat.
The risk goes beyond discomfort. The National Weather Service warned people not to leave young children or pets in unattended vehicles, saying car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. That warning lands just as many people are likely to head for rivers and lakes to cool off, even though the Willamette River in Portland is currently 65 degrees and several other waters across the region are in the 50s, cold enough to trigger shock in a fast entry.
Wednesday is expected to bring the first significant relief, with highs dropping into the lower 80s. Until then, the region faces its hottest stretch of the season and the real possibility that several daily records will fall before the heat eases.
