Sweltering temps briefly cook outer East Portland

Find out what forecasters say this means for summer. And, learn where you can cool off, safely and free, in many of Portland’s parks …

Pulled shades and open windows in Lents, Powellhurst-Gilbert, Hazelwood, and Parkrose outer East Portland area schools do little to cool students in classrooms during the heat wave.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Sizzling hot summer weather arrived a week before the season actually began on June 21, baking students still in school, making outdoor work difficult, and giving those without air conditioning sleepless nights.

To understand this record-breaking weather pattern, the first day of the heat wave, June 11, we looked to National Weather Service Hydrologist Andy Bryant to provide information.

“Normal” temperatures will return, says National Weather Service Hydrologist Andy Bryant, but we could be in for a hot summer.

“This is not typical weather we’re seeing, for the month of June,” Bryant began.

“We’re having record high temperatures midweek, and expected to have “record high” low overnight temperatures, as well,” Bryant told East Portland News.

The reason for this weather: A high pressure area over the Pacific Northwest.

“This strong high-pressure system limits the onshore flow of marine air that brings clouds, and cool, with it,” explained Bryant. “It’s a situation where we’re having close to our longest periods of daylight [each day], so we have a lot of solar energy; this, along with a high-pressure setup, can have us ‘bake’ for a few days before we get back to ‘normal’ temperatures.”

Portland Parks & Recreation indoor pools, like this one at the East Portland Community Center, are open year around, providing cool fun.

A long, hot summer ahead?
Asked if this heat wave might portend a long hot summer, Bryant emphatically said, “There is zero connection between this weather incident and what we have coming up, so there is no connection with what will happen in July, August, or September. But, there are long-range outlooks that say we may have above normal temperatures the summer, however.”

The Gateway Discover Park hosts the newest “splash pad” in Hazelwood neighborhood.

Stay cool in Portland Parks
Although outdoor pools operated by Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) don’t open until June 18 the Bureau’s spokesperson, Mark Ross, remarked, “Park splash pads were turned on June 12, and are available from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. through Labor Day.”

In outer East Portland these wet play areas are found at:

Earl Boyles Park – east of SE 107th Avenue and Francis Street
Gateway Discovery Park – 10520 NE Halsey Street
Luuwit View Park – NE 127th Avenue and Fremont Street
Raymond Park – SE 118th Avenue and Raymond Street

After school, kids are attracted to this “splash pad” located near their school in Earl Boyles Park.

PP&R indoor pools are open year around, Ross noted, including:

East Portland Pool, 740 SE 106th Avenue, (503) 823-3450
Mt. Scott Pool, 5530 SE 72nd Avenue, (503) 823-3183

“Be sure to take advantage of our ‘Free Open Play Swim Sessions’ – part of our Summer Free For All program, at our [outdoor] pools this summer,” Ross invited. To learn more about the free swim sessions, CLICK HERE.

Comments are closed.