Northwest stuck in another brutal heat wave

In what has become the summer of high-temperature woes, another harsh heat wave will continue in the Northwest and states are doing all they can to prepare.

On Tuesday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency ahead of the impending heat, urging residents to take proactive steps and make a game plan to keep cool. Such measures include preparing hydration, visiting one of the dozens of cooling centers across the state and checking in on friends and family.

The northwestern United States has undergone a record-shattering, deadly heat wave and season of destructive fire activity this summer. While many residents are looking for extended relief, AccuWeather forecasters warn that more bad news is on the way for the region.

A change in the overall weather pattern will allow temperatures to skyrocket across the northwestern U.S. and largely cut off chances for much-needed rainfall.

"Yet another stretch of record-challenging high temperatures is in store for some across the Northwest this week as an expansive dome of high pressure settles over the region," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Excessive heat watches and warnings went into effect across parts of Oregon and Washington on Tuesday, set to last through the week for some areas. Seattle is expected to be under an excessive heat warning until 7 p.m. PDT Saturday, while an excessive heat warning has been issued for Portland, Oregon, until 10 p.m. Saturday.

Portland hit 102 on Wednesday, which tied a record for the date last set in 1977. In Seattle, while highs are forecast to fall short of the century mark, a temperature of 96 is predicted on Friday, which would top the previous daily record of 92 from 2002.

Throughout the Northwest, temperatures are forecast to reach 15-25 degrees Fahrenheit above average into this weekend, worsening the already intense drought across the region, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jessica Storm.

As of early August, about 63 percent of the West as a whole is in the midst of extreme to exceptional drought. Exceptional drought is the most extreme category of drought set forth by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

When the soil is bone-dry, as it is in much of the region, all of the sun's energy goes into heating the ground. This in turn often leads to temperatures topping out at levels that are higher than normal.

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Typical high temperatures for early to mid-August in the Northwest range from the upper 70s to low 80s for places like Seattle and Portland, to middle 80s to low 90s for inland areas.

"Although temperatures will not approach all-time record-high temperatures like what was observed during the June heat wave, daily record-high temperatures are expected to fall in places like Seattle and Portland," said Buckingham.

On Thursday, Bellingham, Washington, reached 100 degrees, reaching the century mark for the first time on record and breaking its all-time hottest temperature on record. The previous all-time high temperature for Bellingham was 99 degrees, set on June 28, 2021, according to the National Weather Service.

Elsewhere in Washington State, Olympia tied its daily record of 96 degrees, last set back in 1977, and Hoquiam set a new daily record high of 88 degrees on Thursday. Its previous record was 84 degrees, which was observed in 1977, 2002 and 2016.

Eugene, Oregon, meanwhile, set a new daily high record of 103 on Thursday, breaking the old record of 102 degrees.

As of Thursday evening, the official reporting station in Portland recorded its 68th day this year with a high temperature of 80 or above after the city reached 101 degrees that day. For the entirety of 2020, Portland experienced 63 days with high temperatures at or above 80 degrees. With plenty more warm days ahead, the city may have a shot at challenging the all-time record for days at or above 80 degrees in a calendar year, 88 days set in 2015.

During the unprecedented late June heat wave, temperatures soared well into the triple digits across a large part of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle set an all-time record high of 108 F, while Portland baked under an all-time high of 116. Dozens of fatalities were blamed on the extreme heat, while hospitals reported a surge in patients suffering from heat-related illnesses, according to The Associated Press.

Excessive heat warnings (purple) have been issued for large portions of Oregon, Idaho, California and Washington. (AccuWeather)

Seattle already has had three days with high temperatures of 100 or higher this summer, which is a new yearly record for the city, according to the NWS. If Seattle records another day of 95 degrees or higher, it will tie the record of four from 1977.

In Portland, the city has also recorded five days of 100 or higher this summer, tying with the current record for most 100-degree days in a year set back during 1977.

As if abnormally high air temperatures weren't enough bad news, AccuWeather forecasters say AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be able to climb even higher than the actual mercury.

Right into the upcoming weekend, some across the Northwest will have to deal with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures that run 3-5 degrees above the actual air temperature. Meaning places like Portland could feel more like the mid-100s than the upper 90s or low 100s.

AccuWeather forecasters urge residents to plan ahead for the coming heat in order to remain safe.

"Staying hydrated, wearing light-colored clothing and sunscreen, checking vehicles before locking them, staying out of the sun in an air-conditioned room and checking in on relatives and neighbors are all ways to safely deal with the upcoming heat wave," Storm said.

In addition to concerns about heat-related illnesses, the dry and hot weather will likely work to exacerbate wildfire and smoke issues.

"Drought conditions, worsened by heat, can allow wildfires to spark easier than if the ground was cool and saturated. Additionally, there will be no assistance to firefighters in the form of rain in the near future," Storm said.

As of Thursday night, about 104 large wildfires were burning in the continental U.S., and 76 were blazing in the Northwest alone, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

AccuWeather forecasters say some relief from the heat across the Northwest can arrive as early as the start of next week, when the heat dome is forecast to shift out of the area.

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