Forecast: Scorching heat wave extended in US Northwest
Weather Alert Day: Temperatures in the mid-90s through Friday
Weather Alert Day: Temperatures in the mid-90s through Friday
SEATTLE - The scorching heat spell in the Pacific Northwest is now expected to last longer than forecasters had initially predicted, setting parts of the normally temperate region on course to break heat wave duration records.
The National Weather Service extended the excessive heat warning for the city from Thursday through Saturday evening.
"For the next several days through Saturday we’re going to be within a few degrees of 100 every day," said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland. Temperatures are forecast to soar to 101 again on Friday.
Climate change is fueling longer heat waves in the Pacific Northwest, a region where weeklong heat spells were historically rare, according to climate experts.
Seattle also reported a new record daily high of 94 degrees on Tuesday. The heat spell was forecast to last into Saturday in western Washington as well.
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While it's no record-setting heatwave of 2021, Washington is expected to see its hottest days of the year with temperatures in the mid 90s next week.
Residents and officials in the Northwest have been trying to adjust to the likely reality of longer, hotter heat waves following last summer’s deadly "heat dome" weather phenomenon that prompted record temperatures and deaths.
In response, Oregon passed a law requiring all new housing built after April 2024 to have air conditioning installed in at least one room. The law already prohibits landlords in most cases from restricting tenants from installing cooling devices in their rental units.
About 800 people died in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia during a 2021 heat wave that hit in late June and early July. The temperature at the time soared to an all-time high of 116 degrees in Portland and smashed heat records in cities and towns across the region. Many of those who died were elderly and lived alone.
Officials in Seattle and Portland have issued air quality advisories from Tuesday expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups.