Pacific Northwest experiences most severe heat wave of the year
Temperatures fell short of all-time records set in the late June 2021 heat wave, but the past week's heat had greater staying power, baking the region in above-normal warmth for five to seven days.
The week of July 24 marked the most severe heat wave the Pacific Northwest has experienced since the deadly 2021 heat wave broke all-time records across the region.
The heat wave began to bake the region Monday, with areas east of the Cascades hitting the upper 100s, including Medford, Oregon, which topped out at 107 degrees. In northeastern Oregon, the city of Pendleton hit 102 degrees, worsening an already parched area of the state that is in an extreme drought in spots, according to the U.S. drought monitor.
The sun sets over Elliot Bay in Seattle, Washington, during the first day of an extended heat wave for the Pacific Northwest Monday, July 25, 2022.
Increasing dryness helped to fuel the heat wave and can lead to problems later on in the region, such as worsening drought conditions. The dry ground allows intense July sunshine to heat up the air quicker rather than wasting energy on evaporating moisture from the soil. This can help boost temperatures up to 20 degrees above average during an already warm part of the year.
Tuesday quickly proved to be a more intense day of heat for the Pacific Northwest, as several daily high records fell in Washington and Oregon. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in western Washington was among those places when the airport recorded a high of 94 degrees Tuesday, breaking the prior daily record high by 2 degrees.
Matthew Carr cools off in the Salmon Street Springs fountain before returning to work cleaning up trash on his bicycle in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Farther to the south, Olympia also broke a daily record by topping out at 97 degrees. Other areas of Washington surpassed the century mark Tuesday, with some locations, such as Dallasport, Washington, exceeding 110 degrees. About 90 miles east of Seattle, the city of Ellensburg broke a daily high record by 4 degrees when the mercury topped 103 Tuesday.
The exceedingly brutal heat Tuesday stretched south and impacted much of Oregon, causing Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to declare a state of emergency in 25 counties to ensure additional resources were made available amid the heat.
"It is critical that every level of government has the resources they need to help keep Oregonians safe and healthy," Brown said in a press release.
The high heat has turned deadly in Oregon as well, with at least 7 fatalities linked to the high temperatures according to an Oregon Public Broadcasting report. A lack of air conditioning in many homes, which is especially common in the Northwest, is often a major factor in heat related illnesses and deaths.
Portland, Oregon, reached 102 degrees Tuesday, breaking the previous daily record by 2 degrees. The heat in Portland and other parts of the Pacific Northwest remained through much of the week, but slight relief helped keep temperatures a bit lower Wednesday and Thursday.
A sign showing that a cooling center at the Charles Jordan Community Center is open is shown in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Some fringe moisture associated with the North American Monsoon over the Southwest expanded northward Wednesday in the form of patchy high clouds. The clouds brought slight relief as temperatures dipped a few degrees in some locations compared to Tuesday.
Portland, Oregon, remained below 100 degrees, and Seattle barely topped 90 as the cloud cover provided relief and helped these areas stay clear of record high temperatures.
However, the relief was short-lived as daily record highs were broken again on Thursday and Friday. Some of the most extreme heat of the week occurred in Medford yet again, which surged to a scorching 114 degrees on Friday. This obliterated the previous daily record of 109 F set in 2009 and marked the sixth consecutive day in the triple-digits for the city.
Especially inland, heat surged to impressive levels again on Saturday. While cloud cover in Medford held Medford just under the century mark, Pendleton, Oregon surged to 110 degrees. This marked the sixth straight day in the 100s and second day in a row in the 110s.
Excessive Heat Warnings remained in effect for parts of the Pacific Northwest through Sunday. High temperatures are forecast to exceed 105 degrees in some areas such as Yakima, Washington.
The current heat wave lasted longer in many areas along the Pacific coast when compared to last year's historic heat. Even as temperatures generally fell short of last year's record smashing levels, people who live in coastal areas faced five to seven days of excessive heat before relief arrived.
The long-duration heat, especially along the coast where there are fewer air-conditioned homes than the national average, can be a serious problem for those with respiratory problems, the elderly, young children and people experiencing homelessness.
Cooling centers have been a huge help for those without air conditioning in the Pacific Northwest. Those in Oregon are able to see where their nearest cooling center is and other heat-related resources on 211 info. For Washington, these centers and resources can be found at wa211.org or by dialing 211.
Forecasters say the heat wave will finally break during the early to middle part of this week as a storm brings in cooler, Pacific air.
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