Oregon heat wave topped out Tuesday at record-breaking 110 degrees in Hermiston

Oregon’s heat wave may be subsiding in parts of the state, but temperatures are still well above average.

The Portland International Airport reached 104 degrees Tuesday, making it the sixth day in a row with temperatures at 90 degrees or above.

Salem and Eugene both hit 106. Redmond broke a daily record when it hit 107 degrees and Hermiston got all the way up to 110 degrees, breaking the daily record high temperature of 106 degrees set in 1968.

In the Willamette Valley, Wednesday was a cooler day.

“It looks like our highs for today within the Willamette Valley are going to be around 92 to 95 or so,” said David Bishop, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.

While that is 10 degrees cooler than Tuesday, “It’s actually running about 10 degrees above normal, give or take,” Bishop added.

No such luck for Hermiston, which by Wednesday afternoon was already well over 100 degrees, with no relief in sight.

Portland shouldn’t get into the triple digits for the foreseeable future, but the city might not be done setting records.

In 2009, Portland hit 90 degrees for 10 days in a row, the current record.

Wednesday was already up to 90 at the airport, making it the seventh day at 90 or above.

According to Bishop, “Generally, temperatures for the remainder of the week and going into the weekend and even into the start of next week, we’re talking upper 80s, low to mid-90s.”

If temperatures skew on the higher side through the weekend, Portland could tie the current record or set a new one.

Nine deaths are now connected to the heat wave that began on the Fourth of July.

– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com or @lizzzyacker

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