TEMPERATURES

August 2022 was a historically warm month, not only the warmest August at the Portland Airport but was the warmest month of all-time, with the data record going back to Nov. 1940. Even the longer-term official Downtown locations (currently at KGW-TV) recorded the second-warmest August and second-warmest all-time month, with a data record back to 1871. The 3 official Portland stations (Downtown, Portland Airport (PDX), and National Weather Service Forecast Office (WFO) recorded the following Departures from Normal: Max. Temps ranged from +4.1° to +5.0°, Min. Temps. from +3.2° to +3.7°, and Mean Temps. from +3.7° to +4.5°.

Here in Happy Valley, it wasn’t quite the warmest all-time month, overall, but the Average Minimum Temperature of 59.1° was, surpassing the previous warmest month of 58.9° set in August 2014. The Average Maximum Temperature was 82.0°, which only ranks as 5th-warmest August out of the last 9. The Mean Temperature was 70.5°, which ranks as #2 warmest behind the 71.8° in 2017.

This month had 3 days reach Daily Maximum Temperatures of ≥90°, portioned through the month on the 7th, 17th, and 30th, with an additional 18 days from 80°-89°. The month’s Daily Maximum was 93.0° on the 7th. On the cooler side, there were 4 Maximums ≤75° (4th, 10th, 27th, & 28th), the lowest being the 71.2° on the 27th.

Minimum Temperatures ranged from a low of 51.8° on the 28th to 70.0° on the 18th, the first August Min. Temp. ≥70° since this station was established on 5/29/2014, surpassing the 68.2° in 2017. Only 19 days fell to ≤60°. Splitting the month in two, the Average Max./Min./Mean Temperatures were fairly similar, with the second half being just a bit warmer: 1st-15th, 81.4°/57.8°/69.6°; 16th-31st, 82.5°/60.3°/71.3°. The Maximum Diurnal range was 32.3° (87.2°/54.9°) on the 6th, the least being 9.0° (79.0°/70.0°) on the 18th, the one cloudy day this month.

 

HAPPY VALLEY MONTHLY WEATHER FORM: AUGUST 2022 (click the month/year to link to the form).

 

For the three official Portland National Weather Service weather stations, here are some facts and rankings for each location for August 2022:

Portland – Downtown (currently at KGW-TV) – Period of Record: since 1/1871

• Avg. Max. Temp: #5 warmest at 84.7°; #11 All Months
• Avg. Min. Temp: #1 warmest at 61.8°; #1 All Months (superseding 61.5° in 8/1967)
• Avg. Mean Temp: #2 warmest at 73.3°; #2 All Months (behind 75.0° in 8/1967)
• Greatest Number of Days w/ Min. Temps. ≥60° (August and All Months): 24 (previous record 21 days in 8/1967)

Portland International Airport (PDX) – Period of Record: since 11/1940

• Avg. Max. Temp: #2 Warmest at 87.3°; #4 All Months
• Avg. Min. Temp: #1 Warmest at 62.8°; #1 All Months
• Avg. Mean Temp: # 1 Warmest at 75.1°; #1 All Months (previous Aug. record was 73.6° in 2017 (up by 1.5°), All-Months was 74.1° in 7/1985 (up by 1.0°)
• August recorded the second consecutive all-time warmest Min. Temp. (7/2022 with 61.8°, 8/2022 with 62.8°)
• This was the 2^nd consecutive summer (June-August) with All-Time Hi Min Avg. Temps (60.1° in 2021, 60.2° in 2022)
• Number of Days w/ Min. Temps. ≥60° (August and All Months): 28 days (previous record was 23 days in 7/1985)

Portland – National Weather Service Forecast Office (WFO) – Period of Record: since 4/1996

• Avg. Max. Temp: #1 Warmest with 86.8° (ties 2017); #3 All Months (ties 8/2017)
• Avg. Min. Temp: #1 Warmest with 60.7° and All Months (superseding 60.4° in 8/2014)
• Avg. Mean Temp: #1 warmest with 73.8° and All Months (superseding 73.5° in 7/2015)
• Summer (June-August): #3 Warmest at 70.0° (behind #1 71.7° in 2015 and #2 70.7° in 2021)
• Number of Days w/ Min. Temps. ≥60° (August and All Months): 20 days (previous record 19 days in 8/2014)

 

 

Cover photo: Orange Sunset, 8/9/2022.