Multnomah County announces daytime cooling shelters to open Friday amid heat wave

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Multnomah County announced Thursday that daytime cooling shelters will open in Portland and Gresham Friday, as temperatures are expected to reach triple digits under an excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service.

Multnomah County Daytime Cooling Shelters will be available from noon to 10 p.m. at the following locations:

• Cook Place, 19421 SE Stark St., Gresham
• Portland Alliance Church, 4046 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland
• The Hugo, 6221 NE 82nd Ave., Portland

Meanwhile, two Multnomah County libraries — Central at 801 SW 10th Ave. in Portland and Gresham at 385 NW Miller Ave. — will extend their hours until 9 p.m. and may distribute bottled water to those in need.

According to the city of Gresham, no one will be turned away from these shelters and pets will also be welcome.

Clackamas County officials announced a daytime refreshment center will open Thursday at Father’s Heart in Oregon City. In Washington County, starting Friday, the Beaverton Public Library main branches and Murray Scholls will be available as refreshment centers, with the Beaverton main branch extending its hours until 9 p.m. through Sunday.

In Clark County, Washington, daytime cooling centers will be open Friday at Mill Plain United Methodist Church and Living Hope Church.

The National Weather Service’s excessive heat warning begins at noon on Thursday, July 4, for the Portland metro area and lasts until 11 p.m. on Sunday. Officials say the forecast calls for “dangerously hot conditions with temperatures expected to be 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.” Temperatures are also not expected to drop much after the excessive heat warning expires, according to KOIN 6 meteorologist Josh Cozart.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.