Stores selling AC units 'going to be very busy' ahead of heat wave

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In anticipation of a multi-day heat dome expected to loom over the Portland area in the coming days, stores and customers alike are getting ready for crowds to come.

At Ankeny Hardware in Southeast Portland, staff are expecting the 500 or so air conditioning units they have in stock to fly off the shelves very soon. Though Wednesday was relatively calm inside the store, that's expected to change as the temperatures rise and people search for relief.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the Portland area, which is in effect from Thursday until Sunday. What's more, the forecast is predicting we may see triple digits over the weekend.

The sales team at Ankeny said their experience shows people tend to wait until the very last minute to get A.C. units in these types of situations, creating a traffic jam at the checkout that could take people hours to get through.

"A lot of people wait until it's sweltering and then they all want to come in and get what they need. And that usually means that they're going to wait in line, unfortunately," said Patrick Hoye, a salesperson. "It's going to be very busy. And that's what happens. And a lot of the other places that have some, they don't get enough, they run out. And so they send people here."

July 4 may be the first day of the excessive heat warning but it's also a holiday. That means Ankeny Hardware will be closed. However, they'll be opening back up on Friday, which is when they're predicting long customer lines will create hours-long wait times.

Some customers are already stocking up on other items ahead of the holiday.

"We're going camping. So yeah, we're ready to beat the heat. Get in the shade, get outside," one man stocking up on bags of ice told KOIN 6 News.

"This weekend we're going to go to Benson Lake. that's what we're going to do for, July 4th," said another shopper, Sengxue Vang. "We don't actually have air conditioning so it's a lot harder."

Multnomah County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno said it's important for people planning to cool off in the lakes or rivers to be prepared.

"If you're going to go into any natural bodies of water, those bodies of water are still pretty cold, so make sure you limit your exposure to that cold water," he said.