Originally published: Friday, July 5

Update 1:25 pm Tuesday, July 9:

Three cooling centers reopened today (Tuesday, July 9) at noon and will stay open until 10 pm, as temperatures could reach 103 degrees in the Portland area. See below for details. 

Update 1:10 pm, July 8:

Multnomah County will reopen its three daytime cooling centers tomorrow (Tuesday, July 9) at noon, having extended its state of emergency through Wednesday, July 10. According to a news release from the county, the three cooling centers saw 158 cumulative visitors on Sunday, July 7, up from 98 on Saturday. The county says it can "expand capacity as the demand for cooling centers increases."

See post below for more details. 

Update 11:11 am, July 7: 

In response to continuing dangerous heat levels, three cooling centers are open today, (Sunday, July 7) and will reopen tomorrow, (Monday, July 8). Two Multnomah County libraries (listed below) will also be open until 9 pm. Of note, one previously opened cooling site, The Hugo on 6221 NE 82nd, is no longer open to the public due to problems with their HVAC system. See post below for more details, and stay tuned for more updates.

Where to go:

Three daytime cooling centers, including two in Portland, will open at noon Sunday and Monday.

After declaring a state of emergency due to an excessive heat wave hitting Oregon with triple digit temperatures this weekend, Multnomah County opened three sites for residents to beat the heat and stay safe.

The centers opened at noon Friday, July 5 and will remain open until 10 pm today, then reopen at noon Monday. 

The locations are:

Everyone is welcome at the cooling sites, including pets. Water and snacks will be provided. The temporary sites will be staffed by county and state employees, along with contracted shelter providers Do Good Multnomah and Cultivate Initiatives.

Portland's Central Library downtown (801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland) will again stay open until 9 pm. 

Multnomah County says its Department of Human Services staff have been increasing outreach to unhoused residents, the elderly, as well as building managers and service organizations. County staff have also reached out to property managers with instructions on when to do welfare checks and to ask that they post heat safety information for tenants, particularly vulnerable tenants. 

The county notes that cooling centers will remain open "as long as conditions warrant" and says additional spaces may open, and locations and hours are subject to change, "in response to evolving forecasts."

If you need a ride, TriMet won't turn anyone away for lack of fare if they're traveling to or from a cooling center. According to TriMet, this policy will be in place from 10 am to 10 pm until Tuesday night. Tell the operator you're heading to or from a cooling center when you get on the bus.  

For the most up-to-date information on resources, visit: multco.us/hot 

Able to volunteer? Multnomah County needs help staffing its severe weather shelters. Learn more about how to sign up and what shifts and training are needed here.