Portland heat records threatened as temps expected to reach low 80s

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Warmer and sunnier weather returns to the Portland area Wednesday as records are put to the test later in the week.

Sunnier skies will help to warm Portland's temperatures into the low 80s on Wednesday. These warmer conditions will be the start of Portland's latest summer heat wave.

The biggest difference with this round of heat is the cooler overnight lows that will be seen. That means there will be a greater difference from early morning lows to afternoon highs in the coming days.

Oregon and Washington's latest stent of warmer weather also comes with drier conditions. Sunny skies and the lack of rainfall have the potential to keep the wildfire threat elevated over much of the Pacific Northwest.

Friday is expected to be the peak of the late summer heat streak. That's where some records could be threatened as temperatures climb into the 90s.

This latest stent of heat isn't expected to last more than a few days. The mid-September switch has started to show cooler conditions for the second half of the month as average highs fall to low 70s.