Historic heat roasts Pacific Northwest, but wildfire smoke lessens intensity
In Portland Thursday, the mercury reached 105 degrees, shattering the daily record of 99 set in 1952 and ranking among its top ten hottest days ever. But it fell two degrees short of the all-time record of 107.
To the north, Seattle and Olympia both hit daily record highs of 94 and 96 degrees – but fell well shy of the triple digit heat which would’ve been in play but not for the smoke.
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Original post from Wednesday and Thursday
Seattle has posted only three days in the triple digits in the last 123 years. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Seattle was set July 29, 2009, when the mercury reached 103 degrees.
“If Seattle hits triple digits on Thursday or Friday, it’ll be the third time in the past 23 years — after reaching it only once in the first 100 years of weather observations,” notes The Seattle Weather blog. It has never before hit 100 in August.
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Already, Seattle logged its second warmest low temperature ever recorded Wednesday, only dropping to 69 degrees. Its high temperature was 91, which broke the Aug. 2 daily record of 89 set in 2009.
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On Wednesday, despite smoke wafting through the city, Portland climbed to 103 degrees, shattering the Aug. 2 daily record of 96 set in 1986.
