Seattle, Portland Suffer Blazing Hot Temperatures

An upper-level ridge brought record heat to the Pacific Northwest for one day on Tuesday. The high temperature in Seattle soared to a record 94 degrees. The previous record was 89 degrees and was actually set just last year. On average Seattle only sees two 90-degree days each year.

Portland saw a high of 99 degrees Tuesday, but it did not break the old record of 105 set on July 1, 1942. 

The heat was a dramatic change compared to last Thursday, when the high reached 68 degrees. 

That may not sound like much to hot-weather warriors in Arizona, where it was a dry 108 degrees Tuesday. And the South doesn't want to hear complaints either. Millions there have been sweltering under triple-digit temperatures.

"I grew up in Texas, where you fry eggs on the sidewalk," said Kira Rodenbush, who laid out in a swimsuit on a rocky shore near Troutdale, Oregon. "Where I grew up, this is Thanksgiving."

The good news is this heat only lasted for one day and temperatures will return to more comfortable levels when onshore flow returns for the rest of the week. In fact, the Fourth of July should be beautiful with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 70s and low 80s.

(FORECAST: Fourth of July)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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