PORTLAND, Ore. — It's going to be uncomfortably hot in Portland this weekend, with temperatures soaring as high as 98 degrees, according to KGW's latest forecast.
Despite the temperatures, which has prompted KGW to call for Weather Impact Alert Days on Friday and Saturday, Multnomah County won't be opening cooling centers or shelters because the weekend's weather conditions don't meet the necessary criteria established by the county to make it happen.
The Joint Office of Homeless Services said it's not planning to activate expanded outreach for the same reason. Here's a look at the thresholds the JOHS said must be met for expanded outreach:
- Temperatures are forecast to reach 94 degrees or higher for four hours or more
- Temperatures are forecast to remain above 70 degrees overnight
- A severe weather alert is issued by the National Weather Service
The thresholds for the county to open cooling centers or shelters is based on the National Weather Service's (NWS) HeatRisk assessment. The county opens shelters if the Portland region hits the highest level and considers it at the second-highest level, depending on additional factors. Here are the five levels of the NWS HeatRisk tool:
- Level 0 (Green): Little or no heat risk
- Level 1 (Yellow): Minor heat risk
- Level 2 (Orange): Moderate heat risk
- Level 3 (Red): Major heat risk
- Level 4 (Magenta): Extreme heat risk
As of Friday morning, Portland is at Level 2, with some areas in Northeast Portland expected to reach Level 3 on Saturday.
Though it's not expanding outreach, the JOHS said regular outreach and supply center appointments will still happen this weekend. "Outreach teams have been picking up hot weather supplies at the supply center, as they have been all season," said a JOHS spokesperson. "They will be distributing them as they normally would."
The county won't be opening cooling centers or shelters, but there are other places to cool down that will be open this weekend, including libraries, community centers, interactive fountains and splash pads. The county has an interactive map that helps people locate those places.