Portland Heat Advisory could near 92 degrees Sunday

Portland faces a heat advisory this weekend, with the National Weather Service saying the city could reach 79 degrees on Saturday and climb to 92 degrees on Sunday. Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a Portland meteorologist, said Sunday is the main day for potential records and urged people to stay hydrated.

The Sunday forecast would put Portland about 20 to 25 degrees above normal for May 3. The daily average for that date is around 66 to 67 degrees, and the city’s record for May 3 was set in 1992 at 89 degrees.

Chandler-Cooley on Sunday

Chandler-Cooley said in a National Weather Service forecast discussion on Thursday, "We are going to be pretty close to some record-breaking temperatures for the daily records" and "So, really Sunday is the main day we’re looking at for potential records." She also said, "It’s not completely abnormal to get warm this time of year, but the 90s in early May is definitely more on the unusual side."

She added, "Having this heat so early in the season, most people’s bodies just aren’t used to this" and, "We’re definitely urging people to make sure they stay hydrated, practice heat safety even though it doesn’t seem like you might need to." Jamie Test, a Portland resident shown in a file photo, is among the people who may face those conditions outdoors.

Oregon Temperatures

Eugene is expected to hit the mid-80s, while research from Climate Central found Portland, Eugene and Medford are among the fastest-warming cities in the U.S. A heat wave blanketing most of British Columbia is moving down the Pacific Northwest and is expected to affect much of Oregon.

Temperatures are expected to decrease on Monday, and Portland should be down to a high of about 70 degrees by Tuesday. For people planning to be outside Sunday, the immediate step is to treat the day like a summer heat event even though it falls at the start of May.