An extreme and long-lasting heat dome is forecast to hit Oregon late this week, spiking temperatures as high as 110 degrees and potentially lasting a week or more.

The blistering temperatures could impact Oregon’s electrical grid, increase wildfire danger and make urban centers deadly for the elderly and those without air conditioning, officials said.

The heat is forecast to begin Thursday night — the Fourth of July — and peak Friday and Saturday. In the Willamette Valley, there’s a 15-20% chance of temperatures reaching 110 degrees Saturday and a good chance of three days above 100 degrees.

In Medford, there’s a 30-40% chance of temperatures reaching 115 degrees and five days forecast above 100 degrees.

“I think this is an event that will be remembered,” National Weather Service meteorologist Shawn Weagle said. “This has the potential to be a high impact event.”

The heat isn’t expected to reach the levels of the 2021 heat dome that shattered state records with temperatures of 117 to 118. However, this event is expected to last longer, with a second heat wave possible next week.

“There just isn’t much of a break,” Weagle said.

Deadly heat across Western Oregon

The most concerning time period is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, when temperatures are forecast to reach 98 to 105 across wide swaths of the Willamette Valley. Nighttime temperatures may only drop as low as the 70s.

The farther south you go, the hotter it gets. Medford’s forecast is a blistering string of high temperatures — 104 on Thursday, 110 on Friday, 111 on Saturday, 108 on Sunday and 104 on Monday.

“We’re most concerned about people without access to air conditioning and in apartments,” Weagle said. “The fatalities we saw in 2021 were people without access to cooling.”

In the 2021 heat dome, 123 people died in Oregon because of the heat wave, according to the Center for Health Statistics.

How long will the heat wave in Oregon last?

The first heat wave lasts from Thursday night to Sunday evening, Weagle said, before it breaks somewhat by Monday and Tuesday.

Problem is, “the climate prediction center is putting a moderate risk that the heat lasts into a second week,” he said. “If that happens, we could see a brief cool down before it heats back up for a prolonged period.”

The concern is two weeks of temperatures above 90 with multiple hits above 100 degrees, Weagle said.

“The longer these (heat waves) last the harder they are on people,” he said.

Escape from the heat on the Oregon Coast

The best place to escape the heat, as ever, will be the Oregon Coast, where temperatures are forecast to stay in the 70s, with Tillamook and Astoria reaching the 80s.

“They’re still forecast to get that onshore flow from the ocean, which will cool things down” Weagle said.

Wildfire danger likely to increase in Oregon

Wildfire season has stayed quiet in western Oregon so far this season, with cooler and somewhat wetter conditions than normal. Central Oregon has been more active.

However, a long-stretch of such hot and dry weather could dry out fuels rapidly and increase wildfire danger quickly, leading to a longer summer stretch at high wildfire risk.

What is a heat dome?

As for what’s forecast to cause the heat dome, it’s “a very strong ridge of high pressure that pushes the air down and heats it up,” Weagle said. “Combined with the strong sunshine this time of year and the hot air mass from the southwest, all those factors come together in this heat dome.”

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.

A jury did not award any damages Monday to former legislative aide Laura Hanson, finding that her boss, state Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, and the Oregon Legislature did not retaliate against her due to her disability.

The unanimous verdict by seven jurors followed a week-long trial in U.S. District Court in Portland. One of the original eight jurors was dismissed during trial for not following a judge’s order to not discuss the case during trial.

Oregon just keeps popping up on best-of lists, saluting our state’s food, campgrounds, scenery, and so on. Now, another accolade has come our way, as a popular vacation destination on the north Oregon coast has made the list of “The 28 Most Beautiful Towns in America.”

The list, compiled by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, consists of everything from “coastal cities to southern gems,” as the article says, adding, “these idylls are worth a visit.”

So, which Oregon north coast municipality takes the honors as a “most beautiful” town? Is it Astoria? Seaside? Manzanita? Gearhart?

Not surprisingly, Cannon Beach gets the nod. The town known for its scenic stretch of sandy beach, the imposing Haystack Rock, the annual Sandcastle Contest, super-tasty fish and chips, a top-ranked beach resort, and many more accolades, can now add this one, too.

But then again, any Oregonian who has visited Cannon Beach can testify that the place is gorgeous, and its natural setting is magnificent, as the tourist crowds indicate.

This community is Oregon’s most charming small town, according to HGTV

According to the Condé Nast Traveler magazine article, “While most travelers flock to New York and Los Angeles, the most beautiful small towns in America offer an entirely different —and, dare we say, better? — glimpse at what this country has to offer. You’ll find tiny enclaves filled with friendly locals, walkable downtown areas lined with mom-and-pop cafes, quaint boutique hotels, and incredible views of some of the best landscapes in the U.S.”

Here’s what the list entry for Cannon Beach says: “Drive about 80 miles northwest of Portland and you’ll wind up on one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the country: Cannon Beach. The eponymous village on the shore was officially incorporated in 1957, and it’s popular today for its cute chocolate shops, art galleries, microbreweries, and cozy vacation rentals. It’s perhaps best known for Haystack Rock, a 235-foot monolith protruding out of the water—enjoy the views from nearby Ecola State Park or the guest rooms at Stephanie Inn”

In addition to Cannon Beach, other communities on the “most beautiful” list include Magnolia Springs, Alabama; Bar Harbor, Maine; Leavenworth, Washington; Sedona, Arizona; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Marfa, Texas; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Cape May, New Jersey; Ketchikan, Alaska; Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Snowmass Village, Colorado; Friday Harbor, Washington; Whitefish, Montana; and Deadwood, South Dakota.

— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe