Summer has barely begun and it already has the Pacific Northwest at its knees! Oregon, Washington and Idaho have all been reaching or breaking temperature records.
Portland, Ore., has already broken its record made in 2003 for most days in June—seven days—with temperatures of at least 90 degrees, according to a National Weather Service report. Other areas in the state hit high numbers as well, with Medford at 104 degrees and Roseburg at 101 degrees.
Lewiston, Idaho, beat its 79-year-old record and hit 111 degrees, and Boise was merely one degree shy of beating its all-time record, which is also 111 degrees.
Washington followed suit with Pasco hitting 111 degrees, Walla Wakka at 109 degrees and Yakima at 108 degrees.
CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said temperatures will continue to be 20 degrees above average in that region of the country.
Montana, not looking to be outdone, broke some records of its own, according to Al-Jazeera. Meacham beat its 54-year-old record by 4 degrees, hitting 100 degrees. Missoula, which has been recording temperatures since 1893, now hit a new June record of 102 degrees.
The heat isn't the only issue the Pacific Northwest has to deal with. In combination with the heat, the threat of fires breaking out due to thunderstorms is an increasing concern and red flag warnings were raised by officials from the northwest coast to the Sierras.
"Virtually 100 percent" of the Pacific Northwest remains abnormally dry or in a drought, said the National Integrated Drought Information Systems. And by the looks of it, the region will have to endure this heat for a while longer.
Read more: Alaska Wildfires Continue To Multiply
