A visualization depicting by how much past heatwaves have exceeded normal temperature averages.
Using this variance as a measure for heatwave severity, the record high temperature of 112°F set at Portland International Airport on June 28th is +35.5°F above normal, essentially tying, if not exceeding, the most severe summer heatwave ever observed in North America.
![](https://berkeleyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/heatwave-variance-graphic-1024x577.png)