Most Severe Heatwave Hits Pacific Northwest at 102 Degrees, Cooling Centers Open Up

As the most severe heatwave causes temperatures in the Pacific Northwest to reach 102 degrees, cooling centers begin to open.

The June 2021 heat wave set all-time highs, but this week's heat had more persistence, baking the area for five to seven days in temperatures above average.

The Pacific Northwest experienced its worst heat wave since the deadly 2021 heat wave, which broke records in the area. This one occurred during the week of July 24.

Triple-Digit Temperatures

Monday marked the start of the region's heat wave, with temperatures reaching the upper 100s in places east of the Cascades, including Medford, Oregon, which peaked at 107 degrees. According to the US drought monitor, the city of Pendleton in northeastern Oregon reached 102 degrees, exacerbating an already parched region of the state that is in some places experiencing an extreme drought.

The region may experience issues later on, such as intensifying drought conditions, as a result of the region's increasing dryness, which contributed to the heat wave. Rather than wasting time and energy on dissipating moisture from the soil, the dry ground allows the extreme July sunshine to heat the air more quickly. This can help raise temperatures during a time of year that is already warm by up to 20 degrees.

As so many daily high records were broken in Oregon and Washington on Tuesday, it became clear that it would be a hotter day overall for the Pacific Northwest. One of those locations was the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington, which on Tuesday recorded a high of 94 degrees, breaking the previous daily record high by 2 degrees.

Further south, Olympia also set a new daily high with a temperature of 97 degrees. Tuesday saw temperatures in other parts of Washington go over 100, with some places, like Dallasport, Washington, going over 110. The city of Ellensburg, which is 90 miles from Seattle, set a new daily high record on Tuesday when the temperature topped 103.

To ensure that more resources were made available even with the heat on Tuesday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in 25 counties as a result of the extreme heat that spread south and affected much of the state.

In a press release, Brown emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to have the resources necessary to support keeping Oregonians safe and healthy.

Tuesday's temperature in Portland, Oregon, was 102 degrees, breaking the past daily record by 2 degrees. The heat in Portland as well as other areas of the Pacific Northwest persisted for the majority of the week, but a little relief Wednesday and Thursday kept temperatures a little bit lower.

Temporary Relief from a Patch of Clouds

On Wednesday, patchy high clouds caused by some fringe moisture from the North American Monsoon over the Southwest moved further north. The clouds provided a small amount of relief as some locations experienced a slight drop in temperature from Tuesday.

Cloud cover provided relief, keeping temperatures in Portland, Oregon, below 100, and Seattle just above 90, keeping these locations away from record high temperatures.

The solace was momentary, though, as daily record highs were once more broken on Thursday and Friday. Once again, Medford experienced some of the hottest temperatures of the week, with a Friday high of 115 degrees. This not only broke the past daily record of 109 degrees set in 2009 but also tied the city's all-time high-temperature record. This was also the city's sixth straight day with temperatures in the triple digits, and at least one more day is likely to have high temperatures this weekend.

As compared to last year's record-breaking heat, the current heat wave persisted longer in many Pacific coast locations. Even though temperatures didn't reach last year's record-breaking heights, residents of coastal areas had to endure five to seven days of oppressive heat before relief arrived.

Hazardous Heat and Cooling Centers

People with respiratory issues, the elderly, young children, and those who are homeless may experience serious problems due to the prolonged heat, particularly along the shoreline where there are very few air-conditioned houses than the national average.

In the Pacific Northwest, cooling centers have been of great assistance to those without air conditioning, Accuweather reports.