Sizable Heatwaves and Air Quality Alerts for Oregon, Valley, Portland, Washington

Published 07/21/26 at 3:56 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Portland, Oregon) – Things are get heated up for the Willamette Valley, Portland / Vancouver Metro area, and the Gorge, while wildfire smoke will get annoying to stifling over the next few days. (Above: a tainted and tinted moon in Portland Monday shows the air quality issues arising)

The National Weather Service (NWS) has already put out a variety of alerts about air quality in central Oregon and heat advisories for Eugene, Portland and into southern Washington.

Air Alerts

Air quality is deteriorating across a broad stretch of eastern and central Oregon, prompting the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to issue an Air Quality Advisory through 4 p.m. Wednesday. The alert covers Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Jefferson, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wheeler counties, including communities such as Prineville, Bend, Redmond, Sunriver, Sisters, La Pine, John Day, Monument, Dayville, Long Creek, Seneca, Madras, Warm Springs, Culver, Hermiston, Milton-Freewater, Pendleton, Athena, Pilot Rock, Stanfield, Umatilla, Ukiah, Helix, La Grande, Elgin, Union, North Powder, Enterprise, Joseph, Wallowa, Imnaha, Troy, Lostine, Fossil, Spray and Mitchell.

Wildfire smoke combined with weather conditions is expected to push pollution into unhealthy ranges.

“Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems,” the National Weather Service said. “Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition.”

More information is available at the Oregon DEQ website.

Heat Advisories

A Heat Advisory is also in effect from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 11 p.m. Wednesday. It covers the western and central Columbia River Gorge, the Hood River Valley, the Portland metro lowlands, the Greater Vancouver metro area, the Lower Columbia and Cowlitz River valleys, and the east central Willamette Valley. Forecasters expect temperatures between 95 and 100 degrees, raising the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Smoke from fires outside the region or incoming cloud cover could lead to slightly cooler daytime highs than currently forecast, but the heat risk remains significant.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection snapped this shot of the moon in SW Portland on Monday night.

The moon is not supposed to be that color. It's not one of those reddish summer moons the Northwest gets in summer or fall. This is the smoky wildfire haze the Portland area and Willamette Valley are dealing with right now.

It is forecast to stick around another 24 hours, according to the NWS. The region around Portland, SW Washington, and the Columbia Gorge will get hit by temps near 100 over the next two days, which could be tempered a bit on Tuesday by patchy smoke.

Either way, it's going to be a little uncomfortable for some with breathing sensitivities, but luckily not much.

The smoke goes away by 10 p.m. Tuesday night, but unfortunately those in central Oregon will still be dealing with some heavy smoke inundation.

The coastlines of Oregon and Washington won't see any of this – just some runs of fog. See Oregon Coast Beach Connection's weather pages:

Pacific Northwest Weather | Oregon, Washington, Coastline (see NW from space) |---| Washington Coast Weather |---| Oregon Coast Weather |---| Inland Oregon Weather

The Oregon coast and Washington coast will be good places to get away from the smoke. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

 

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