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Residents in the Pacific Northwest are bracing for a historic heatwave this weekend, with temperatures 30 to 40 degrees above normal.
Forecasters are predicting temperatures to climb over 100 degrees in Seattle, Washington, and they could reach 113 degrees in Portland, Oregon. In Sunnyside, Washington, the temperature is forecast to reach 116 degrees, just two degrees shy of the state's all-time record of 118 degrees, which was set on August 5, 1961.
"Usually, the hottest time of the year [in Washington] lags a month after the solstice," Rocco Pelatti, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Spokane, told CNN. "July is usually the hottest month; sometimes, it bleeds into August. To have June start out like it has is very concerning."
The scorching heat could create life-threatening situations for residents. Because the region usually has mild temperatures throughout the summer, many people don't have air conditioning units in their homes. People have been rushing out to get AC units but are finding them out of stock, and businesses that install them are booked up well into August.
"When there's not relief at night, and people don't have access to air conditioning, then we're gonna see a lot more heat-related illnesses and stress," Larry O'Neill, Oregon's state climatologist, told ABC News.
Local officials are opening up cooling centers across the region and are asking residents to check on their family and friends, especially those who are older.
"This is life-threatening heat," Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines said in a statement. "People need to find someplace cool to spend time during the coming days. And for people who already have somewhere cool, their job is to reach out to other people. Ask them to join you, or help them get to a place that is reasonably cool."