If you thought June felt more like July or August, you’re right — average temperatures in Bend and across much of the region were well above average last month according to the National Weather Service, hotter than any June since records first started being kept in 1901.

The average temperature — the midpoint between the day’s high and the day’s low, averaged across every day of the month — was 65.8 for the month, 8.7 degrees above the long-term historical average for June.

For comparison, the long-term average temperature for July in Bend is 64.3, and 63.2 for August.

Mike Murphy, weather forecaster and climate program leader for the National Weather Service offices in Pendleton, said communities all across Central and Eastern Oregon saw record heat in June. Weather stations in Redmond, Prineville, Sunriver and at Wickiup Dam all set average temperature records in June.

Murphy said dry conditions are one of the primary causes of the sustained heat, as rain and wet ground tend to partially neutralize the heating of the ground.

A not-fully-understood accumulation of warm water off the Pacific Coast referred to as “the blob” is pushing temperatures higher as well. Murphy said the blob has helped create an upper level ridge over the Northwest, resulting in warmer and drier temperatures on the east side of the Cascades.

The hot, dry conditions are a concern for fire managers as well.

Mike Powell, fire analyst with the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, said conditions are “four to six weeks ahead of schedule” across Central and Eastern Oregon — meaning forests and grasslands are now as dry as they would typically be in early to mid-August.

Powell said the fire danger is expected to continue building through the rest of the summer. Fire managers are preparing to be able to move quickly at the first sign of smoke, he said, as happened during the fire at Shevlin Park west of Bend last month.

“We have geared up our prevention efforts and our initial attack efforts also, so when we do get fire, there’s a lot of resources on that,” Powell said.

June was the fourth month this year to see notably above-average temperatures. January, February and March had the sixth, fifth and second hottest average monthly temperatures, respectively, recorded since records began.

Murphy said forecasts indicate July is likely to be warmer and drier than usual as well. He said there’s a 60 to 70 percent chance of higher-than-typical temperatures over the next six to 10 days, and a 50 to 60 percent chance of higher-than-average temperatures through the end of July.

— Reporter: 541-383-0387,

shammers@bendbulletin.com