Portland Hit Record 116°F in 2021 Heat Dome as Oregon Logged at Least 116 Deaths
Updated
Updated · KATU · Jun 26
Portland Hit Record 116°F in 2021 Heat Dome as Oregon Logged at Least 116 Deaths
3 articles · Updated · KATU · Jun 26
Summary
Portland’s all-time high reached 116°F on June 28, 2021, after the city first broke its daily record at 108°F and then climbed to 112°F the next day.
An exceptionally strong high-pressure system parked over the interior Pacific Northwest, blocking cooler Pacific air and allowing heat to build across the region for three days.
Oregon confirmed at least 116 heat-related deaths from the event, while the highest temperature recorded anywhere in the heat dome was 121°F in British Columbia.
A strong onshore flow ended the spike Monday evening, sending Portland’s temperature down 53 degrees to 63°F by Tuesday morning.
Studies since then have linked the heat dome to widespread forest damage — including millions of dead trees — and estimated climate change added about 2°F to the event.
Did the 2021 'heat dome' permanently scar the iconic ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest?
Five years after a deadly heat dome, are Pacific Northwest cities truly safer from extreme heat?
Portland’s 2021 Heat Dome Crisis: Record Temperatures, Deadly Impacts, and Lessons for a Hotter Future
Overview
In the summer of 2021, Portland, Oregon, became the center of an unprecedented heat dome event that shattered temperature records across the Pacific Northwest. For several days, the region endured extreme heat, with Portland International Airport recording over 100°F for three consecutive days, peaking at 116°F—nine degrees above the city’s previous record. This crisis brought severe human and environmental consequences, as similar record-breaking temperatures were seen throughout the Willamette Valley. The event highlighted the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather and underscored the urgent need for better preparedness and adaptation strategies.