When the sky is this blue over Haystack Rock in late April–you just know something’s going on with the weather.
From Saturday April 21 to Monday April 23, 2012, unusually strong high pressure for the time of year parked over the entire west. The result was clear and warm weather along the Oregon Coast and warm then record hot weather in the Willamette Valley.
Here are the official high temperatures at Portland International Airport where official records are kept:
- Saturday April 21, 2012: Portland’s High Temperature is 75 degrees
- Sunday April 22, 2012: Portland’s High is 82 degrees. This breaks the old record of 79
Hillsboro set a record high of 82, breaking the old record of 81. Troutdale and Salem both tied their record highs for the date by hitting 80 degrees.
- Monday April 23, 2012: Portland’s High is 82. This breaks the old record of 79 – and we also had a record warm low – 55 degrees
Hillsboro hit 82 breaking the old record of 81 and Eugene hit 80 degrees breaking the old record of 79.
Now, as our weekend weather anchor Sally Showman said the other night at 11, “All good things must come to an end.” Our taste of summer is over and ocean air takes control again. Of course if you wilt when it’s above 70 (like a lot of northwesterners I know)…the good times are starting again!
Bruce; I like the look of that blue sky! Unfortunately, up where I live we were just on the edge of the warm weather. My Maximum was 70.5F on the 22nd under a broken blanket of high and middle level clouds. It was nice- but I would have loved to see the clear skies you had.
Roland–sorry you missed out. I’m sure we’ll send some nice ridges your way this summer. Hopefully on your days off!
Thanks, as always, for your comments!
Bruce,
Do you really mean what you said yesterday? You are hoping that we will continue to break heat records? Sure we only had two records days last year but with climate change, continuing to break heating records is NOT a good thing. Sure most pople like the warm weather; normal weather, is just fine, but being excited about record hot weather is not. So please no more seeming pleased to be breaking record heating days! We will have to take it but we do not have to be happy about it.
C.
Cynthia–you raise some great points. Right after I said it, I came out with, “But let’s not get too carried away with breaking records this year.” The truth is I love all weather extremes–and I’ve been in trouble way too many times for being excited about them! But you are right–I should not hope for lots of records. A normal spring and summer would be enough to get over last year’s cool and wet seasons.
Thanks for your post!
Hi Bruce:
We would love to invite you and your family to the 48th Annual Sandcastle Day & Festival. The event kicks off on June 8, 2012 and continues until Sunday the 10, 2012. Perhaps a live weather report from the beach?
I can send more information your way if you are interested.
Best Regards,
Mary Pat Parker
Mary–
If I could make it work, I’d love to do live weather down there and check out the sand castles. You can contact me by email: bsussman@koin.com or if you have something to mail, send it along to my attention at 222 SW Columbia, Portland, Oregon, 97201. Thanks for the invite and have a great weekend!