A historic, 'life-threatening' heatwave is set to hit the Pacific Northwest this weekend, with temperatures expected to hit the tr...
A historic, 'life-threatening' heatwave is set to hit the Pacific Northwest this weekend, with temperatures expected to hit the triple digits in Seattle and Portland.
Certain areas of the Pacific Northwest will see temperatures soar 30 to 40 degrees above normal, with Portland expected to crack the 110 degree-Fahrenheit mark, while Seattle is forecasted to top 100-degrees this weekend, AccuWeather.com reported.
Seattle is set to see a high of 104 degree temperatures on Monday, exceeding the city’s highest-ever temperature recorded of 103 degrees, while Portland is forecast to see a high of 113 degree temperatures on Sunday, breaking its all-time highest temperature on record, the Washington Post reported.
The unusually hot weather is forecasted to extend into the next week for much of the region and expected to break all-time records, leaving experts concerned about wildfire risk in a region that´s already experiencing a crippling and extended drought, the Associated Press reported.
On Monday Seattle is forecasted to see 109 degree temperatures, while Portland will see 113 degree weather on Sunday
Most of the Northwest region is under 'Excessive Heat' or 'Heat' advisory for this weekend
Areas in the Northwest region, including Seattle and Reno, are under a massive heat wave warning beginning Saturday into Tuesday
Cities in the Northwest are expected to hit historic high temperatures, including Seattle, which is on course to surpass it's all-time June high temperature next week
More than 13 million residents from Northern California through much of Oregon, Washington state and Idaho are under excessive heat warnings, starting Saturday and lasting into next week, the Washington Post reported.
The blazing temperatures have sent residents who live in a part of the country not accustomed to hot weather scrambling to cooling centers and to stores to purchase air conditioning to prepare for the unprecedented heat.
Many Northwesterners don't even own air conditioning, leading to stores in the region selling out of portable air conditioners and fans, AP reported.
In Portland, some hospitals have even canceled outdoor vaccination clinics in preparation for the unbearable heat and cities in the region have opened cooling centers.
Multnomah County, which includes Portland, plans to open three cooling centers this weekend, including one at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
The metropolitan area has more than 2.5 million people.
Seattle has only hit 100 degrees three times in recorded history, the National Weather Service said.
Seattle also has the lowest rate of air conditioned homes of any major American city, According to 2019 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Only 44 percent of the homes in the Seattle metro area have air conditioning, while In the Portland metro area that figure was 79 percent.
'If you´re keeping a written list of the records that will fall, you might need a few pages by early next week,' NWS Seattle tweeted.
Portland is forecasted to reach record-breaking 110 degree temperatures on Monday during a 'life threatening' heatwave overtaking most of the Northwest region
A Seattle resident transports her new air conditioning unit to her nearby apartment on a dolly to brace for an unprecedented heat wave that has temperatures forecasted in triple-digits
The Northwest region is seeing all-time high temperatures in an area that usually sees maximum temperatures of 80 degrees in June
In Seattle, the 2010's have seen a sharp increase in record-settle hot weather as opposed to cold weather
Average highs in the Northwest region in June usually range in the 70s to the 80s, AccuWeather reported.
Following a cooler stretch of weather, the dangerous heat is forecast to peak from Saturday through Monday as high pressure settles in and enables temperatures to climb to new heights.
'There are typically a few rounds of heat in the Pacific Northwest each summer, but this particular heat wave looks quite extreme,' said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson.
This extreme heat will be the result of a large northward bulge in the jet stream.
'When the jet stream behaves this way, the air at mid- and upper levels of the atmosphere becomes very warm,' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
A man takes a water break in Seattle on Wednesday as the city goes through an unusual heat wave for the region
People gather at the Sandy River Delta in Oregon on Friday to beat the heat as the city is experiencing extreme heat due to a Northwest heat wave
Seattle is set for record-breaking temperatures this weekend the city experiences temperatures up to 40 degrees higher than usual for the month of June
A group relaxes at Lake Union Park in Seattle on Thursday to keep cool during the city's heatwave that is forecasted to reach over 100 degrees
The heat is also worrisome for the region because it leaves the area more susceptible to wildfires.
Oregon in particular was devastated by an unusually intense wildfire season last fall that torched about 1 million acres and burned more than 4,000 homes and killed nine people, AP reported.
Several fires are already burning around the Pacific Northwest and much of the region is already extreme or exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Fire crews are placing themselves in high fire risk areas in preparation and counties and cities across the region have enacted burn bans - in some cases even temporarily prohibiting personal fireworks for the July 4 holiday weekend, AP reported.
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