Record heatwave poised to hit Pacific Northwest

The National Weather Service warned of a “historic” heatwave set to affect the Pacific Northwest in the days ahead.

“Over 80 sites are forecast to break daily high temperature records starting this weekend,” the NWS’ Prediction Center tweeted Wednesday. “All-time June monthly records could also be broken in some locations in the Pacific Northwest.”

Major heatwave is expected across much of the Pacific Northwest and northern California for this weekend and the beginning of next week. Here are the expected afternoon high temperatures for Sunday and their departure from late June averages. pic.twitter.com/ozFeS8odol

— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) June 22, 2021

Two of the region’s biggest cities, Seattle and Portland, Ore., are predicted to see highs in the triple digits Sunday. Seattle temperatures could reach 100 degrees for what would be only the third time in 75 years, while Portland could hit 107, tying its record high, according to The Washington Post.

“It’s not just western WA that will be impacted by heat this weekend & early next week, Excessive Heat Watches were issued across much of the Pacific Northwest,” the NWS’ Seattle office said in a separate tweet.

It’s not just western WA that will be impacted by heat this weekend & early next week, Excessive Heat Watches were issued across much of the Pacific Northwest. Take a look at the HeatRisk map for Sunday – widespread impacts are likely from this event https://t.co/UGH89gfYYw #wawx pic.twitter.com/m2E9Lp82XZ

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 23, 2021

A heat wave, defined by the NWS as three or more days of at least 90 degrees, hasn’t hit Seattle in nearly three years, while Spokane is expected to see triple digit temperatures all weekend and could see temperatures above 90 for nearly a week, according to the Post.

Spokane’s NWS office warned the run of extreme heat could bring about major health risks.

“Multiple days in a row of these temperatures will make heat illness all the more likely if precautions aren’t taken because the heat will continue to stress the body each day,” it said.

The projections come after much of the western U.S. was gripped by extreme heat last week, and could add to the number of unseasonably early wildfires.

In Oregon, forecasts are calling for lightning storms without rain, prime conditions for fires, according to the Post. Of the 50 actively-burning large fires tracked by the National Interagency Fire Center, two are in Oregon, according to the center.