QuickTake:

The year's first "multiday heat event" could trigger health issues in vulnerable populations, forecasters say,

1 p.m. Friday, June 12: Updated with a heat advisory from the National Weather Service, a Friday briefing from forecasters and a list of cooling centers.

The hottest temperatures of the year in Lane County are expected this weekend, with Saturday’s high reaching 91, followed by a Sunday high of 95 and Monday reaching 96, National Weather Service forecasters say.

The weather service has issued a heat advisory for the region beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday and continuing to 11 p.m. Monday.

Those 36 hours are expected to be the hottest stretch in what what forecasters are calling a “multiday heat event” as an area of high pressure settles over the region.

“Temperatures are expected to peak on Sunday and Monday, when the heat wave is expected to be the strongest, the higher pressure will be over us and inland valleys are expected to see temperatures warm to around 95 to 100 degrees,” said Daniel Hartsock, a meteorologist with the Portland office of the weather service.

In a Friday morning weather briefing, Hartsock said Monday likely will be the hottest day in inland valleys. Sunday will be the hottest day along the Oregon Coast, with highs from 80 to 90, he said.

Highs Tuesday are expected to drop to about 89 in the Eugene area.

The weekend’s stretch of hot weather could have an additional impact in part because it’s the first of the season and people are not yet acclimated to seasonal heat, forecasters have said.

“Because we are in June and not in August or September, we do get a higher heat risk out of this event than we would if it were to occur later in the season,” Lee Picard of the weather service said Wednesday. “A 95-degree day in August is very different from a 95-degree day in May.”

That’s part of the reason why forecasters expect a surge over the weekend in water rescues, as people try to beat the heat by heading to still-chilly rivers and lakes.

Hot, dry and breezy conditions Saturday through Monday could trigger elevated fire risk for areas with dry grass. But “rapid fire spread is not anticipated, with most of the larger fuels still not cured at this time,” Hartsock said.

Forecasters offered tips to help deal with potentially dangerous hot weather:

  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Stay in a cool place during the day. Stay out of the sunshine, if possible. Reschedule outdoor work; if that’s not possible, take plenty of breaks in shaded areas. 
  • Check up on relatives and neighbors.
  • People without access to air conditioning can open windows during the cool part of the day and can use fans to keep air moving.
  • Don’t leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. 

Forecasters issue a heat advisory when they’re predicting dangerous conditions that don’t reach levels that would call for an extreme heat watch or extreme heat warning.

Spots to cool off

Eugene city officials listed a number of locations where people can go to stay cool, and said the city’s splash pads are on seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at these locations:

  • Downtown Riverfront Park: 701 E. Eighth Ave.
  • Fairmount Park: 15th Avenue and Fairmount Boulevard
  • Oakmont Park: 2295 Oakmont Way
  • Skinner Butte Park: 248 Cheshire Ave.
  • Umso Park: Grand Cayman and Antigua drives  
  • Washington Park: 2025 Washington St.

Pools 

  • Amazon Pool is open every day for drop-in lap swims, with recreational swims and Family Swims beginning June 15. A complete schedule is available on the Amazon Pool webpage.  
  • Echo Hollow Pool & Fitness Center offers drop-in lap swims and recreational swims every day but is closed Sunday. A complete schedule is available on the Echo Hollow Pool webpage. 
  • Sheldon Pool & Fitness Center offers drop-in lap swims and recreational swims every day but is closed Saturday. A complete schedule is available on the Sheldon Pool webpage. 

Cooling centers  

  • The Downtown Library is a designated cooling site and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Friday and Saturday; from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Bethel and Sheldon branches are open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  
  • Hilyard Community Center is a designated cooling site and is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Because of ongoing programming, there is a limited capacity in the lobby. 

Other community centers are open for regular hours

  • Amazon Community Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  
  • Campbell Community Center, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. 
  • Petersen Barn Community Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 
  • Sheldon Community Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Lane County has a resource page that lists all cooling centers in the county and other heat-related tips.

Mike McInally is a Pacific Northwest journalist with four decades of experience in Oregon and Montana, including stints as editor of the Corvallis Gazette-Times and the Albany Democrat-Herald.