The Latest: Another hot day scorches Pacific Northwest

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Latest on a heat wave in the Pacific Northwest (all times local):

12:10 p.m.

Temperatures once again flirted with records as the Pacific Northwest endures one of its most prolonged heatwaves in years.

The expected high Thursday of 106 degrees (41.1 Celsius) in Portland, Oregon, would be a degree short of the city’s all-time record — last matched on Aug. 10, 1981.

Records for the warmest Aug. 2 fell throughout the region Wednesday, including in Medford, Oregon, where it was a blistering 112 degrees (44.4 Celsius).

In Seattle, the high Thursday was forecast to be 91 degrees (32.8 Celsius).

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12:03 a.m.

Children splashed about as adults dipped their toes in Portland fountains seeking relief from a heat wave that’s baking a region famous for cool weather.

In normally temperate Oregon and Washington, warm days mean drawing shades and running fans. But a searing high-pressure system was making Portland and Seattle sizzle and leading residents to hunt for air conditioning.

Portland hit 100 degrees (37.7 Celsius) on Wednesday and Seattle 90 (32.2 Celsius).

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for western Washington and Oregon and said the highs in Seattle on Thursday could hit 95 (35 Celsius) while Portland could reach 105 (40.5 Celsius).