Portland records hottest day ever amid Northwest scorcher

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Utility workers and wildlife managers across the Pacific Northwest were trying to keep people and animals safe as a historic heat wave scorched the region and sent residents searching for relief. Stores sold out of portable air conditioners and fans, some hospitals canceled outdoor vaccination clinics, cities opened cooling centers, baseball teams canceled or moved up weekend games, and utilities braced for possible power outages. Portland, Oregon, had the hottest day ever recorded – reaching 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service. The previous record for Oregon’s largest city was 107 F (41.7 C), a mark hit in 1965 and 1981.

By SARA CLINE and REBECCA BOONE

Associated Press