After a relatively mild August, temperatures are heading back into the 90s this weekend in Central Oregon.

An excessive heat warning for Central Oregon started at noon on Thursday and continues until 9 p.m. on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The warning is also for Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, Southwest Washington and much of the Willamette Valley.

Temperatures are expected to peak on Friday afternoon, with the mercury reaching 96 degrees in Bend and 97 degrees in Redmond, according to Joe Solomon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pendleton. Weather models include a slight cooling trend on Saturday and into next week.

A chance for thunderstorms in Central Oregon may occur on Saturday afternoon or evening, said Solomon.

The weather advisory comes as parts of Central Oregon are also dealing with high levels of air pollution caused by wildfire smoke. Air quality index levels in Prineville on Thursday were over 160, unhealthy, while the rest of the region had moderate levels of smoke.

Smoke in Central Oregon may decrease temperatures slightly, 1 or 2 degrees, depending on the amount of smoke in the area.

“It can act like cloud cover and block some of the incoming solar radiation and therefore it doesn’t quite get as hot,” said Solomon. “When we initially issued the heat advisories, it was under the assumption of clear skies, but now we have more smoke in the air. That might keep the temperatures a little bit cooler.”

The hot temperatures come after a mild August. The average temperature in August in Redmond was 67.4 degrees, just above the average temperature of 66.8 degrees. July proved to be the hottest month this year, with average temperatures in Redmond clocking in at 72.7 degrees, a record for that month.

During the heat advisory, the weather service recommends drinking plenty of water, staying in air-conditioned rooms and checking on relatives and neighbors. It also reminds the public to not leave children and pets in unattended vehicles.

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