Children play in the splash pad at Riverfront Park in Salem on June 9, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
A record-breaking heat wave is expected to roll through the Willamette Valley this weekend, with temperatures expected to soar up to 108 degrees by Sunday.
Northwest Oregon is under an excessive heat watch, with high temperatures running 20 to 30 degrees above normal for this time of year, according to the National Weather Service in Portland.
David Bishop, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland, said people should check in on elderly and young people because they’re more susceptible to extreme heat.
“If you can, check up on your friends, family, your neighbors,” he said. “The guy down the block that might steal your newspaper.”
Bishop said if Salem reaches 108 on Sunday it will be tied for the record warmest day ever in Salem.
The city reached 108 degrees three other times: Aug. 9, 1981, July 15, 1942, and July 23, 1927.
Overnight temperatures are expected to stay high, limiting the amount of relief from the heat. This increases the risk of heat-related illnesses.
“Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the weather service said in the heat advisory.
As the Earth warms due to climate change, heat waves are expected to become more frequent and intense.
The weather is expected to stay hot into Monday and then gradually trend down toward the middle of next week, the weather service said.
-Saphara Harrell
