Sweltering summer heat here to stay

As temperatures near 100°, there are safe and fun ways to cool off. However …

A great way to stay cool is floating in a Portland Parks & Recreation swimming pool!

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

With outer East Portland in the grip of a heat wave, many residents and business managers are doing their best to stay cool.

However, according to National Weather Service Hydrologist Andy Bryant, above average temperatures are here to stay.

National Weather Service Hydrologist Andy Bryant says he sees more hot weather ahead this summer.

“When you look over the last 12 months, we’ve had temperatures above what we typically see,” Bryant told East Portland News. “It’s especially notable in the last six weeks or so. The month of June was the hottest on record for Portland in western Oregon.

“We have a pattern of high pressure over the Pacific Northwest,” Bryant continued. “And, we’ve had no significant storm activity, resulting in very intense heating over our area.”

It’s not an effect of “El Niño”, as some have reported, Bryant pointed out.

Forecasters suspect we may have a wet winter, but it’s a hot summer for now.

“Come fall and winter, there is an expectation that we will have a moderate to strong wet season coming up; and that could be attributed to El Niño conditions.”

Forecasters can’t point to a specific condition that’s caused the current heating. “But we’ve seen that the jet stream has been well to the north as it comes over the west coast,” Bryant said.

“It looks like it’s going to be a long hot summer,” Bryant predicted.

Asked why the “official” temperature is usually a degree or two cooler than what is measured at East Portland News weather station, Bryant commented, “There are a lot of factors. The weather station is located at Portland International Airport, near the Columbia River. This can have a moderating effect on temperatures, along with a northwesterly wind that may have little moderating impact.”

“Splash Pads”, such as this one located in Earl Boyles Park, provides a welcome relief to sweltering summer days.

Splash into summer
Portland Parks & Recreation provides safe, supervised indoor and outdoor pools throughout the area. For swim times and locations, see their website: CLICK HERE.

In addition to pools, Portland Parks’ “splash pads” are open to help you stay cool, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Outer East Portland Splash Pads at the following parks are currently open:

  • Earl Boyles Park – SE 112th & Boise
  • Raymond Park – SE 118th & Raymond
  • Stark Street Island – SE 106th & Stark

© 2015 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

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