PORTLAND, Ore. — While Portland is in for more sunshine and warm weather the rest of this week, the city has broken a record for the most 90-degree days during the month of May.
Portland International Airport (PDX) reported a high temperature of 91 degrees on Wednesday, marking the fifth time that the city has hit 90 degrees or above this month.
Before Wednesday, KGW meteorologist Rod Hill said Portland had never had more than four total 90-degree-or-hotter days in May, according to the historic record of all reporting sites (not just PDX) dating back to 1878.
Over the weekend, the stretch of hot weather broke a record for the most consecutive 90-degree days recorded at PDX in May. Daily temperatures have been recorded at PDX since 1940.
The chart below shows each time Portland reached 90 degrees or more in the past week. The city hit 90 degrees on Friday, May 12, followed by 93 and 92 degrees on Saturday and Sunday. Then on Monday, high temperatures rose to 92 degrees but dipped slightly on Tuesday to 85 degrees, breaking the streak. Wednesday brought back the 90-degree heat, with temperatures climbing to 91 degrees.
"In short, this is unusual," Hill said. "May often experiences zero 90-degree days or 1-2 spotty days during the month."
The hottest May temperature on record at Portland International Airport is 100 degrees, which was set on May 28, 1983, Hill said. That date, May 28, also stands as the earliest 100-degree temperature of the year on record.
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