Vancouver ties high temperature record

Vancouver tied a heat record Wednesday, with temperatures topping out at 96 degrees in the early evening.

The high matched the Sept. 11 record of 96 degrees, set in 2009. Portland’s record high for the date had been 94 degrees, which Portland International Airport surpassed by midafternoon Wednesday.

Climbing temperatures prompted the National Weather Service in Portland to issue a heat advisory, which is relatively rare in September. The advisory covered much of Southwest Washington and Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

It’s not unusual for the area to get 90-degree days in September. Last year on Sept. 7, thermometers hit 95 degrees in Vancouver.

Conditions are expected to be cooler today, but high temperatures in Vancouver will remain well into the 80s through Saturday, according to the weather service. Forecasters say showers could return by early next week, with temperatures dropping back into the 70s.

Including Wednesday, Vancouver has seen seven days over 90 degrees in 2013, according to the weather service. Wednesday’s high also matched the hottest day of the year. The temperature also reached 96 degrees on June 30.