Oregon Weather Officials: Be Careful of Rivers This Weekend

Published 05/03/2013

(Oregon Coast) – The Portland office of the National Weather Service (NWS) released a special weather statement about the upcoming high temperatures this weekend, urging those hitting wterways in the state and on the Oregon coast to exercise extreme caution. (Above: Waldport)

River and streams in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington will wind up posing some dangers because of the difference between the temperatures outside and in the water.

“As temperatures push into the 80's this weekend, it may cause some people to begin to think about cooling off in rivers and streams,” the NWS said. “Unfortunately, spring snow melt is beginning as well. This is causing river flows to increase and make swimming difficult.”

The NWS said this is also causing water temps in rivers that come from the Cascades to fall well into the 40's. This will include the Santiam, Clackamas, McKenzie and Sandy rivers, among many others.

“Water temperatures in the Willamette and Lower Columbia Rivers are only hovering in the lower 50's,” the NWS said.

Temps in rivers on the Oregon coast are near that as well, and with a sizable heatwave coming this weekend to the beaches area this will be of greater concern. Those temperature differences can also have a huge impact to those wading in the ocean – not to mention the myriad of other safety concerns regarding heavy tides, sneaker waves and such.

Many river, lake and bay areas along the Oregon coast are popular for recreation, such as those near Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach, Newport, Waldport, Depoe Bay, Pacific City, Oceanside, Seaside, Yachats and Cannon Beach.

“These temperatures cause changes in the body quite quickly that make it difficult to swim,” the NWS said. “These cold temperatures in combination with swift currents will make swimming on rivers and streams in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon very dangerous this weekend.”

See Oregon Coast Weather (or keep scrolling) - each city page contains links to local water temperatures.

Nehalem Bay

Waters of Lincoln City

Cannon Beach and Ecola Creek

Necanicum River, Seaside

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