82 Degree High Today; Summery T’Storms in Eastern Oregon Tonight

Portland Airport officially hit 82 today, same with the forecast office in Parkrose and the Downtown Portland station too.  Looks like all other areas west of the Cascades (at least official stations) were in the 78-82 degree range.  Quite impressive for April 22nd.

If you want to check the numbers yourself, here they are:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/getclimate.php?date=&wfo=pqr&sid=OR&pil=RTP

As I was outside enjoying the last few minutes of daylight just now, I noticed bright orange tops of clouds just over the horizon to the SE.  Sure enough, thunderstorms in progress over the Warm Springs Reservation and heading towards Maupin/Pine Grove areas:

Speaking of thunder, we have a decent chance of some thunder and lightning action at some point late tomorrow, at least AFTER 5pm. I’ll post about that tomorrow afternoon, but it should suffice to say that anywhere west of the Cascades could see a late day or evening/night thunderstorm tomorrow. Nothing before that time.  Your Monday still looks very sunny and warm, similar to today.

A good thunderstorm outbreak would wrap up a very nice 3 day warm spell!

Chief Meteorologist Mark Nelsen

Sunday Morning: Record Breaking Day Ahead

8:30am…

Today is going to be a very summer like day across the Pacific Northwest:

– Sunny all day

– The morning sounding (weather balloon) shows +14.6 degrees over Salem at around 5,000′.  Even a bit warmer than expected

– East wind is blowing through the Columbia River Gorge, gusting 25-40 mph at Vista House.

– We’re starting warmer than yesterday and with no cloud cover.

I think this spells a high today somewhere between 82-85 degrees in Portland.  The record for today is 79 set back in 1982.

Enjoy the summer temps for a couple of days, a tremendous marine push arrives Monday night, and Tuesday’s high temps under cloudy skies will be 15-20 degrees colder!  Probably only 60 or so.