Thursday was cooler and today will cool off even more. How is that happening. The best answer is that the high pressure ridge that has been over us has moved to the east over the state and an upper level trough of low pressure(that shaded area offshore) is sending cooler moist marine air into the interior of Oregon. That will cool us off more today and even more on Saturday. That moist airflow will produce some thunderstorms along the west side of the Cascades and in the foothills that could produce valley thunderstorms beginning as early as tonight and continuing through the weekend as the low moves in closer to us. Look for a high near 85 for Eugene today and closer to 90 for the weekend. Farther south Roseburg will be in the low 90s with a chance of thunderstorms too cooling to the 80s by Monday.
I expected to see a cooling trend today, but it cooled even more than I expected. That low pressure area off the south coast of Oregon sent some cooler marine air our way faster that I thought it wood. I was out at Bi-Mart at 18th & Chambers from Noon until 2:00 PM selling raffle tickets for the Eugene Downtown Lions Club annual car raffle and the shade I was standing in and the breeze combined to make it a very pleasant undertaking. Special thanks to those of you who purchased tickets from me and to those of you who purchased tickets from any other Lions who have been out selling tickets. The money we raise allows us to help many people in the area. The cooling trend will continue tomorrow. Eugene’s high temperature today reached a much more comfortable 88 degrees. Salem reached only 92, Roseburg 96, and 105 for Medford and the Dalles high temperature were the warmest in the state. There will be a chance of thunderstorms in the Cascade mountains & foothills over the next couple of days and into the weekend they could wobble enough to the west to hit the valleys.
After another very hot day Wednesday today will be slightly cooler. It is already cooler now than it was at the same time yesterday. Here are some of the record high temperatures for Wednesday and what’s in store for today.
City Wednesday Forecast Today Record for Today
Eugene 105 94 99
Salem 106 97 103
Roseburg 106 98 105
Eugene’s All-Time Record High remains 108 degrees set August 9,
High temperature records were broken in many locations in Oregon on Tuesday. Here are some of them: Eugene 106, old record 100 in 2003; Portland 106, old record 101 in 1998; Salem 107, old record 99 in 2003; Roseburg 108, old record 107 in 1998. Medford also had a record high 108 and the old record was 105 in 2003. The Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect for all of the Willamette Valley, the Coast Range, and the Cascades. There will be more records tied or broken today. The coast will remain the coolest place to be today while the valleys will see temperatures back into the 100s. Thursday will cool a bit by dropping to the mid to upper 90s. Friday we should really feel the change as a trough of low pressure brings in an onshore airflow to cool us down to the 80s. The big advantage we have here in the Pacific Northwest is the big diurnal change in temperature. The High Temperature is above 100, but the Low Temperature overnight drops by about 40 degrees. Most other places in the U.S. heat up and keep the heat in overnight. Keep cool! Cooler air is coming, just not soon enough.
The temperatures in the Willamette Valley will be in excess of 100 degrees for your Tuesday and Wednesday. That is why the Excessive Heat Warning is still in effect until 10:00 PM Wednesday. The people of the Pacific Northwest are not used to this intense heat and need to take precautions to prevent serious heat related problems. Our pets can have serious physical consequences if you don’t take safety precautions for them too. Thursday the highs will retreat to near 90 degrees and, if we are lucky, the 80s on Friday. If you have any favorite ways to cool of please share them. “G” rated ways only, please.
Hang on the temperature continues to rise. There is an Excessive Heat Warning in effect from Noon today through 10 PM Wednesday for all of the Willamette Valley from Portland to Eugene. That also includes the mountains, but not the coast. It will remain cooler. Look for temperatures in the high 90s today and 100 or above Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday will cool a bit back into the 90s if you can call that cool.
The place to be really cool is at the coast. My wife and I spent the weekend in Newport ending in Florence on Sunday afternoon and evening. While those in the valley were heating up we were kept cool by clouds, fog, and a light misty drizzle in the wind. Here are a few pictures to show you what it was like. First we go to Newport where it was difficult at times to see that there was an ocean out there. By Sunday we could see waves at the shore.
View of Ocean from our room on Sunday
Yaquina Head Light house shrouded in fog
And last, but not least, here is how clear it was on Sunday in Florence.
Blue sky with some clouds in Old Town Florence
Remember, when the interior valleys are hot in the summer and the coast is foggy there is usually sunshine breaking through in Florence in part due to the fact that it is 2.5 to 3 miles inland from the ocean. Since we are back now I get to feel this intense heat just as much as you. Keep cool and remember to give your outside pets plenty of cool water and some shade. You need to drink plenty of water also and if you must work outside do so in short sessions with rest in between.
That upper level trough of low pressure is seen in this picture over Oregon and moving away. The trough over Oregon will be replaced by a high pressure ridge. That will increase the offshore flow and start to heat things up for the weekend into next week. One Year ago today the statistics for Eugene were a high of 85 and a low of 66. Skies were mostly sunny and there was no rain. Today we’ll see highs in the 60s along the coast and the 90s i n the valleys. Sunday to Monday could see triple digit high temperatures in the valleys. As usual the coast will remain the coolest place to be.
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The cooling trend will continue for another day today as a weak upper level low pressure trough rolls over the high pressure ridge over us bringing some marine air with it. That marine onshore air flow will keep morning clouds or fog lingering in the hills and valleys. The ridge will strengthen rapidly over the weekend returning the hot weather. Look for low 80s today then near 90 by Friday and the mid 90s for the weekend and possible triple digits by Monday.
The morning clouds held off the daytime heating which will make for a comfortable day today. Look for 80s through Friday and then the 90s return for the weekend. As usual the coast will be the coolest place to be. The Umpqua Basin will see the temperatures into the mid and upper 90s. The simple definition of the weekend weather is “summertime at it’s best in the Pacific Northwest.”
From Memphis, TN we moved to Eugene, OR over 17 years ago. We arrived during a record drought, the worst I have ever seen. We’ve had most types of storms including rain, snow, ice, thunderstorms, a tornado or two (yes we do have them, though very infrequently) in Oregon, and of course the dreaded wildfires. Let’s not forget the occasional tsunami possibilities. During the wet years we even had a combination of some serious flooding and snow. This area also has felt some earthquakes since my arrival. I’ve been asked the question “Did my being here bring the storms?” and my answer is no. I do know what to do when any disaster strikes since I have been through them myself. That means I know how to help save my live and yours without having to go look it up in a book. Please feel free to share your weather experiences with the rest of us. Remember, this blog is for you to share.