High temperatures

The National Weather Service recorded 102 degrees at 7 p.m. in Corvallis, and my apartment thermostat is at its limit right now, 95 degrees. It's nearly midnight. I'm afraid to walk upstairs.

And this, for the entire region, stretching from Eugene to, ahem, Castle Rock:

...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY...THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY.

STRONG HIGH PRESSURE COMBINED WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING WHAT IS LIKELY THE HOTTEST WEATHER OF THE YEAR SO FAR TO THE INLAND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY.

IN THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS... TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY EXCEED 100 DEGREES ON FRIDAY. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE ALONG THE INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR NORTH OF LONGVIEW WASHINGTON THAT WILL LIKELY BE IN THE 90S BOTH DAYS. MOST LOCATIONS IN THE COAST RANGE AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE 90S BOTH DAYS AS WELL.

IN ADDITION TO THE HOT AFTERNOONS... LITTLE RELIEF IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL ESPECIALLY BE THE CASE IN DOWNTOWN URBAN AREAS... WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL NOT LIKELY FALL MUCH BELOW 70 DEGREES OVERNIGHT. OUTLYING RURAL AREAS WILL BE A BIT COOLER OVERNIGHT...

Maybe this doesn't sound so miserable if you've lived in, say, Arizona, or if you've survived the summer heat in Kentucky or Mississippi, but this may be the warmest night I've spent in Oregon. My friend Eric's jazz trio played at Bombs Away tonight, and the bar/restaurant couldn't keep the beer cold. We had about 10 people in our group by the end of the night. Now, I know that perhaps the waitress could have tallied our bills separately, but she did a good job, and it was very busy. I get a little bit upset when a group of people fails to leave a sufficient tip for good service. Half the group pays more than their fair share, and we barely round up enough for the bill. No idea if anyone is to blame directly, but it's bullshit. The server shouldn't be slighted like that.

Like I said, it's hot tonight.