Tuesday weather brings year’s first 90-degree day, heat advisory in Columbia River Gorge

The first day of June will also be the Portland-Vancouver area’s first day this year with high temperatures reaching the 90s.

The National Weather Service expects Southwest Washington and northwest Oregon along the Interstate 5 corridor south of Kelso to hit high temperatures at or above 90 Tuesday. Portland’s high should be near 93 degrees. Salem, Ore., is looking at 97.

The eastern Columbia River Gorge and lower Columbia basin are under a heat advisory from 11 a.m. today through 8 p.m. Thursday, with a warning of high temperatures from 97 to 105 degrees. Areas in Oregon included in the advisory are Pendleton, Hermiston and The Dalles, along with Tri-Cities. Many of those areas will hit 100 by Wednesday. Forecasters warn of possible heat exhaustion and other health issues for those working outdoors. Remember to hydrate and take frequent breaks either indoors or in the shade. Never leave children or pets alone in vehicles.

Those looking to escape the heat may want to try the coast, where temperatures will remain in the 60s along the beaches. The coastal valleys will also escape the heat with high temps likely to stay in the 70s to lower 80s.

Onshore flow will strengthen some Wednesday allowing more cooling along the coast and west of the Coast Range. Some coastal cooling should make its way into the valleys bringing high temps down a few degrees. This cooling won’t make its way through the gorge, where high temps will continue to climb. Portland will have sunny skies and a high near 89 degrees.

More widespread cooling occurs Thursday as thermal low pressure shifts east of the Cascades. Skies will remain clear in most areas east of the Coast Range. Portland will see sunny skies and a high near 82 degrees.

Long-range forecasts are looking at a front moving toward the Pacific Northwest by the end of the week that could bring some rain and will certainly cool the high temperatures back down near seasonal averages.