Heat wave slams US west coast

Scorching weather is hitting the Pacific Northwest again.

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In Portland, Oregon, temperatures neared 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday and temperatures are expected to soar past the highest record ever in the coming days. Authorities have opened air-conditioned cooling centres to help vulnerable people.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning yesterday, asking people to stay indoors to avoid getting heatstroke.

In Seattle, temperatures are expected to be above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the rest of the week.

The back-to-back heat waves have pummelled the temperate region.

Intense heat waves and a historic drought in the American West, particularly in California, reflect climate change that is making weather more extreme.