06/13/2002

By DOUG IRVING, kgw.com Staff

Portland has happily avoided triple-digit heat for more than three years, sweating through the upper-90s but always just a little too cool for 100.

Thursday will put that trend to the test, as a smothering heat wave steams the city for a second straight day. Afternoon temperatures will come uncomfortably close to that 100-degree mark, before a wave of cooler air brings relief from the coast.

Portland has weathered just one 100-degree day in June, ten years ago.

Relief on the Way

The entire Willamette Valley is piping unseasonably hot and dry weather in from Northern California. At the same time, heat from eastern Oregon is pouring over the Cascade Mountains and warming as it washes toward the city.

Thursday's high temperature crept past the old record of 96 by mid-afternoon, and could reach 98 by the evening, KGW meteorologist Matt Zaffino said. Temperatures throughout the Portland were already hotter than a typical June day early Thursday morning.

Portland wilted through 93 degrees on Wednesday, easily breaking the old record for the day of 89 degrees.

But salvation from the heat was taking shape on the far side of the coast range, and rolling slowly toward the valley. As Portland fanned itself, Astoria and Seaside buttoned up against forecast highs in the 60s.

The heat made any outdoor work a sweaty chore. (KGW Photo)

“And we’re talking good, old-fashioned, Midwest thunderstorms,” Salesky said.

Heat Poses Health Risks

Despite the heat, Portland's air-quality earned a 'good' ranking Thursday morning, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Steady winds were helping disperse pollutants and keep the city from an air alert.

But the early blast of summer will send temperatures dangerously high. The American Red Cross reminded anyone outdoors to wear loose clothing, drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous activity in the heat of the day. It also urged Portlanders to check on their neighbors, especially the elderly and those with young children.

The unseasonably hot and dry weather kicked up a dust devil in north Portland. (KGW Photo)

A heavy fur coat will only make the stifling heat worse for pets. Owners should let their pets stay inside with the air conditioning and keep their dishes filled with cool, fresh water. The inside of a car can reach a deadly 120 degrees in a matter of minutes on a day like Thursday, the Oregon Humane Society warned.

This week’s heat wave, while unusual, is not unheard of for June. The month typically sweats through at least one day of 90-plus weather. Those who lived through the spring of 1970 remember an especially stifling June with six days above 90 degrees.

But the average June temperature is a cool 71 degrees.

"It's hard to hit 100 degrees," Salesky said, "when you have the largest body of water on Earth just 60 miles from your front door."