Record heat builds across both the West and the Northeast

By Jay Croft and Haley Brink, CNN

The Pacific Northwest is baking in a record-breaking heat wave, with an all-time high of 108 degrees Fahrenheit reported Saturday in Portland, Oregon.

Along the West Coast, more than 20 million people are under a heat warning or advisory, from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.

Unprecedented and dangerous heat will continue to build across the Pacific Northwest for several days, where high temperatures will climb into the triple digits. Hundreds of daily high-temperature records are forecast to be broken Sunday through much of this week

Monthly June records and all-time records are also possible, especially today through Tuesday for some locations. Extreme heat over long periods will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses.

Portland International Airport recorded a record high of 108 degrees on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. The previous record was 107 — set on August 8 and 10, 1981, and July 30, 1965.

The new record could be broken yet again Sunday or Monday, with the high forecast to possibly over 110 degrees.

At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the thermometer hit 102 on Saturday afternoon, just behind the record 103 set on July 29, 2009, the weather service said.

That record is in jeopardy both Sunday and Monday, as temperatures are expected to climb even higher.

While the peak of the heat is expected Sunday through Tuesday for most locations, temperatures are expected to remain well above average through much of this week and potentially into Fourth of July weekend.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.