Carter Webster, left, and his friend, Logan Thomann, enjoy an apple at the water’s edge during a day trip Friday to the Wheatland Ferry beach. The location is a popular swimming area to beat the heat.
Marcus Larson
News-Register

Cool it!

That’s what Yamhill Valley residents were trying to do Thursday and Friday, as the temperature soared into the 90s at McMinnville Municipal Airport. More of the same is forecast for today, with the high expected to reach 93.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory through 8 tonight. It warns that a period of unusually hot temperatures is under way, creating a situation in which heat-related illnesses are possible.

“The days are very long,” said meteorologist Jonathan Wolfe. “Any bit of clear sky and a lack of onshore flow — air moving over the ocean inland — boosts the temperature quickly.

“An upper-level high, just offshore, was building Thursday. That breaks down all the onshore flow that would keep us cooler and cloudier. As a result, the sky is clear and it’s hot.”

Wolfe said there are three levels, starting with a heat advisory, progressing through a heat warning and culminating in a heat watch. He said studies provide guidelines regarding how different air masses will impact an individual’s health, and meteorologists make the call based on that.

A heat advisory is meant to inform people that conditions could be hazardous, so precautions should be taken. They include drinking plenty of fluids, staying inside as much as possible and avoiding direct sunlight.

Wolfe offered some hope for people who simply don’t enjoy the broiling temperatures.

“This will be a short event,” he said. “Our hottest day was Thursday. Then the temperatures will start to trail off and slowly decrease. We’ll be in the mid-80s by Sunday. An upper level trough will take the temperature down to the mid-70s by Monday.”

In McMinnville, a high of 83 is projected for Sunday, followed by highs in the low 70s through Thursday.

The warm weather has put the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office’s marine patrol on high alert for the July 4 holiday weekend.

Sgt. Steve Warden said the patrol will be extending its hours into the late evening today and Sunday. “Our concern with the holiday weekend is drinking boaters and fireworks,” he said.

The sheriff’s office operates two patrol boats. It coordinates operations with neighboring counties to ensure safety on shared waterways.

Each of the county’s boats is operated by a two-member crew of reserves.

The unseasonably high temperatures have also triggered a burn ban in Polk and Yamhill counties. It went into effect Wednesday.

The ban, to remain in effect until October, covers agricultural burns, backyard burns and residential burn barrel operation use. Agencies in the two counties are also asking residents to take special care with any commercial or recreational uses of open flame.