Offbeat High heat to bake Pacific Northwest beginning late this week

© Don Ryan/AP Photo Langstrom Kalstrom, left, and Violet Dashney run through the Salmon Street Springs fountain in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for western Washington and Oregon Thursday. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Following weeks of dry, seasonable weather, residents of the Pacific Northwest should prepare now for the next stifling heat wave.

Temperatures will climb steeply through midweek, with the high temperature in Portland, Oregon, forecast to jump from near 80 F on Tuesday to 90 F on Wednesday. The heat will peak in the mid-90s there on Thursday, similar to temperatures reached during the last heat wave in mid-June.

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"If you have air conditioning and you have not used it up until now, now is the time to turn it on," New York's health commissioner said.A widespread heat wave is expanding across large parts of the country and has some parts of the nation experiencing triple-digit temperatures.

An already mild stretch in the Pacific Northwest will kick into another gear late this week as The upcoming heat will have warm weather fans rejoicing, but can put a strain on some residents who are not yet Record-challenging 90-degree temperatures will begin as early as Wednesday in this locale.

Heat will gradually build through early week , with high temperatures across the Southwest, as well as the southern and central Plains trending 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit above average by midweek. Noticeably uncomfortable heat will arrive by Thursday for many locations and stick around for Friday

In Medford, temperatures are expected to exceed the century mark for the second time this year. Temperatures will approach 100 on Thursday and Friday in Redmond as well.

"Coastal cities will remain cool throughout the week, but inland cities will soar 10-15 degrees above average," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Edwards.

Away from the immediate coast, people without air conditioning in their residence should consider alternate means of staying cool, such as keeping blinds closed and fans running or frequenting public buildings that have air conditioning.

This will be especially important around midday and during the early afternoon, when the sun is strongest.

"Temperatures will soar into the 90s and lower 100s in parts of eastern Oregon and Washington," Edwards said.

Under Trump, America's influence in western Pacific may be on the decline

For years, China has trumpeted the decline of the United States as a Pacific power. A rising force, now the world's second-largest economy, China predicted that America's decline would be slow and inevitable, the ebbing of one global power and the ascent of another. But that process may be accelerating as President Donald Trump wobbles on long-standing commitments to Japan and South Korea, and calls for shrinking the U.S. military presence in the region — even as China is flexing its economic, military and political muscle from Sri Lanka to the South China Sea.Secretary of Defense James N.

Several heat waves have already impacted areas west of the Rockies this month, especially in the Pacific Northwest . While record-breaking heat is not expected, most residents of the Desert Southwest and northwestern U.S. can expect the warmest weather of the year to arrive late this week .

Progressing into late week and the weekend, confidence continues to increase in the chance for a significant surge of cold air to move into the Northwest , along with some rain The seasonably mild conditions that will encompass the region early this week will become a distant memory as well, as

Anyone planning to spend time outdoors should be sure to remain well hydrated, wear plenty of sunscreen and spend as much time in the shade as possible. Any animals kept outside should be provided with a shady area and plenty of water as well.

In addition to the threat of heat-related illness in both people and animals, the combination of extreme heat and dry conditions will elevate the fire threat across much of the Pacific Northwest late this week, according to Edwards.

With large portions of the interior Northwest facing moderate to severe drought conditions, there is plenty of dry brush that can ignite and allow fires to spread quickly.

While record-breaking heat is not expected this week or next, temperatures are anticipated to remain well above average through at least early next week.