In late June of 2021, the Pacific Northwest saw a record-breaking heat wave.
Nearly 100 people died throughout Oregon — the majority of them in Multnomah County — as temperatures rose well into the triple-digits and stayed there.
Dozens of people sat and played in the Ira Keller Fountain Park in Portland, June 28, 2021.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
A year later, the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement as much of Oregon is expected to feel temperatures climb into the 90s. Recent forecasts are predicting temperatures in the Portland area to be above 90 on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
“With the hot weather expected, now is a good time to make sure you and your neighbors have a way to deal with the heat,” the National Weather Service statement read. “If you have fans or air conditioning, now is a good time to make sure those systems are operating properly.”
It’s not nearly as excessive or persistent as last year’s deadly “heat dome.” But officials are asking residents to use this time to get themselves ready for the hotter weather.
People can prepare by picking up fans or air conditioning units now and testing them to make sure they work. It’s also a good time to check that window coverings are capable of keeping out direct sunlight.
And officials are asking people to check in on their neighbors who might be at risk during a heat wave.
Since last year’s deadly heat wave, Multnomah County has shifted from large, centralized cooling centers to smaller, neighborhood-based cooling sites. The temperature won’t be high enough to open them this time around.
Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines says that decision is largely dependent on an NWS-based heat risk index. It takes into account factors such as how high above normal the temperatures are forecasted to be and how much cooling is expected to occur overnight.
The county also considers whether hospitals and emergency services will be overwhelmed due to heat-related issues, which are considered to be preventable illnesses.
For the upcoming stretch of 90-degree days, the county is working with community partners to widely share information on how to find weather updates, how to stay safe and how to help keep others safe.
Washington County has launched a “hot weather help” website to help people find places to cool off. In Beaverton, a cooling center will be open Saturday through Monday evenings at the main library.
Gradual cooling is expected to start early next week, with high temps in the low 80s for Portland on Tuesday, and mid-70s on Wednesday.