You’re really going to sweat to these records

Almost overnight Portland-area temperatures will go from a record low to a record high

By Jim Redden

Pamplin Media Group, Jul 6, 2010, Updated Jul 6, 2010

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Brace yourself — we're about to go from record cold to record heat in just two days.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington from 10 a.m. Wednesday to 9 p.m. Thursday. Temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s during the day and should not fall below the mid-50s at night.

This follows Monday's low temperature of 48 degrees, the coldest July morning in 24 years.

“The Portland-Vancouver area is going to go from record setting cold to potentially record setting heat in a matter of just about 48 hours,” says Steve Pierce, vice president of the Oregon chapter of the American Meteorological Society. “The oven has been turned on and it won't shut off until the weekend."

According to Pierce, the coming heat wave is expected to be the region’s hottest weather since Sept. 22, 2009, when most areas reached into the lower 90s.

Pierce says at this point it looks like Wednesday will have the best shot at breaking the old record high of 93 at Portland International Airport.

“This is going to feel like quite a shock, especially after record-setting cold and rain the past two months,” Pierce says. “However, I doubt you will find anyone who will complain. Either way you slice it, summer is here.”