U.S. NORTHWEST HEATWAVE BUILDS, TOPPLES RECORDS

Intense. Prolonged. Record-breaking. Unprecedented. Abnormal. Dangerous. That’s how the National Weather Service (NWS) described the historic heatwave hitting the Pacific Northwest, pushing daytime temperatures into the triple digits, disrupting Olympic qualifying events, and breaking all-time high-temperature records in places unaccustomed to such extreme heat, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Portland, Oregon, reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 Celsius) Sunday, breaking the all-time temperature record of 108 F (42.2C), which was set just a day earlier.

In Eugene, Oregon, the U.S. track and field trials were halted Sunday afternoon and fans were asked to evacuate the stadium due to extreme heat.

The National Weather Service said it hit 110 F (43.3 C) in Eugene, breaking the all-time record of 108 F (42.2 C). Oregon’s Capital city, Salem, also recorded the highest temperature in its history on Sunday: 112 F (44.4 C), breaking the old mark by 4 degrees.

The temperature hit 104 F (40 C) in Seattle. The NWS said that was an all-time record for the city better known for rain than heat and was the first time the area recorded two consecutive triple-digit days since records began being kept in 1894.

Records were being broken across the region, and the sizzling temperatures were expected to get even hotter Monday before beginning to cool Tuesday.

WEEKLY FEATURE : PAL READY TO SOAR WITH PANDEMIC