Sun Bakes Salem

Salem faced its hottest July on record this year. The heat was relentless, with a string of 100-degree days followed by unseasonably warm weather.

The average temperature for the month was 74.4 degrees, breaking the previous record of 73.3 set in 2021. This was confirmed by Adam Batz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.

Oregon's climate scientists were caught off guard. Larry O’Neill, director of Oregon Climate Services and associate professor at Oregon State University, said it was very warm, very early.

From July 5 through 9, Salem experienced its longest stretch of 100-degree days, breaking records set between 1926 and 1960. The peak was on July 9, hitting 106 degrees.

Hundreds of Salem residents sought refuge in cooling centers that week. Outreach groups handed out water and supplies.

“There was a historically strong heat wave,” O’Neill said. “Long-lasting and intense, it came several weeks earlier than usual.”

After the heat wave, temperatures remained 5 to 10 degrees above normal across the state. This, O’Neill said, is driven by climate change.

“Heat waves have always been a part of our summer weather,” he explained. “But now, they’re more frequent, more intense, and happening earlier.”

This has been the pattern over the past few years, marked by events like the June 2021 heat dome.

“It’s relentless heat,” O’Neill said.

Alongside climate change, traditional weather predictors have become less reliable. El Niño usually means warmer summers, but the last two years brought big heat waves during La Niña, which typically means cooler temperatures.

Earlier this year, a slightly above-average snowpack suggested a less intense summer drought. But the early July heat wave evaporated much of that saved water.

“We’re now facing severe drought conditions and one of the worst wildfire seasons ever,” O’Neill said. “This was unexpected given the precipitation and snow we received.”

"Currently, reservoirs are okay, but the landscape is much drier than normal," he added. "For farmers, this means using much more water for the same crop yields."

From mid-July to the end of August is usually the peak heat wave season in Oregon. O’Neill said the area has likely seen its hottest days this summer, but warns that hotter, drier days lie ahead.

“In short: yes, it will get worse,” O’Neill concluded.