Summerlike temperatures on way; Thursday, Friday could set records

This week’s weather will offer Clark County residents a summertime treat.

While the temperature highs will hover around 80 degrees through Wednesday, the final two workdays might include highs near 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Thursday’s and Friday’s temperatures could set records, with Friday likely to be the hottest day, said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist with the weather service. The highest temperatures will be around 5 p.m.

A high pressure system that was over the Gulf of Alaska on Sunday afternoon will strengthen and make its way toward Oregon and Washington later this week, Neuman said. The pressure system, combined with warm easterly winds, are likely to cause the balmier weather.

“That’s kind of the pattern for us when we see warmer temperatures throughout the year, especially in the summer months,” Neuman said.

The weather is expected to gradually cool Saturday and Sunday, but it will still be relatively warm, Neuman said. The weather service typically forecasts seven days in advance, so it’s not exactly clear when the warm air will be gone.

“Sometimes it happens within 24 hours. Sometimes it takes two, three, four days,” Neuman said. “On average in this scenario, we don’t stay there for that long. So we should cool off, but it’s not a guarantee either.”

Neuman added that while the weather is hot, rivers are relatively deep, cold and moving fast. With temperatures around 50 degrees in local rivers, those jumping in can expect hypothermia within minutes, and life jackets should be worn, Neuman said.

Local rivers have already presented danger recently. Stephen Barnaby, 30, of Portland is missing after falling off an inner tube Saturday night while floating the Washougal River.

“It’s hard to be in (the rivers) for very long,” Neuman said. “That can really catch people off guard.”