Pacific Northwest faces heat wave as temps in Portland edge close to all-time highs



[COLOR=#999999! important]RYAN KOST, Associated Press Writer
5:05 PM PDT, July 28, 2009 [/COLOR]
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — It's feeling more like Phoenix in the Pacific Northwest this week, with temperatures throughout the region spiking along with demand for the cool comforts of air conditioning, water fountains and icy treats.

Portland is expected to reach a high of 105 on both Tuesday and Wednesday. That's not far off from the all-time record of 107 degrees hit most recently in August 1981.


In Seattle, the temperature is expected to eke into the mid-90s Tuesday with even hotter weather to follow.

Wednesday "looks brutal," said National Weather Service meteorologist Jay Albrecht, with Seattle getting close to — if not over — the all-time record temperature of 100 degrees set July 20, 1994, at Sea-Tac.

"There's not going to be a whole lot of places to get away from the heat tomorrow," she said. "Really, the whole Northwest right now, especially west of the Cascades, is cooking."

Temperatures in the Spokane area are forecast in the 90s the rest of the week, which is a little above normal. More worrisome is a forecast for thunderstorms that could produce lightning that ignites wildfires.

Heat advisories were issued throughout the region. In Portland, where residents are used to temperate summer days that come with overcast mornings and crisp evenings, the warning is in effect until 10 p.m. Wednesday.

To put the heat into a bit of perspective: Portlanders could have found cooler weather in Abu Dhabi (104 degrees), Houston (95 degrees), Miami (90 degrees), and Mexico City (78 degrees). Just to name a few possible escapes.

"The thing about a place like Portland is there are some buildings and residences that don't have air conditioning," said Andy Bryant, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service. "You go to Phoenix or Dallas, yes it would be very hot there, too, but they have more of a system in place to deal with it."

A Home Deport in Portland had to order up air conditioners from one of the coastal stores to restock for the week. They came in Tuesday morning only to sell out three hours later, said Cliff Baker, a Home Depot employee. "Fans are even getting hard to find."

Matthew Ho, the owner of Portland's Ohana Hawaiian Cafe said shaved ice has been in high demand. Normally he sells about 20 a day. Lately it's at least double that, he said. "We actually have a friend from Hawaii who pretty much just flew into run the shaved ice machine."

Fire departments, the Red Cross, municipalities and emergency service agencies throughout the region were offering ideas for respite. Cooling centers for the elderly were open late in Portland, and the city of Seattle extended hours for the International Fountain, where hundreds of people soaked in the changing sprays timed to recorded music.

In Washougal, the fire department opened up an air-conditioned training room to help cool folks off, and set up a water shower in a city park during the afternoon.
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