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Up Next: Less Heat, Less Smoke, More Chance Of Lightning

Geoffrey Riley/JPR News

Temperatures backed off from record levels in Oregon and California Friday, but the days ahead might be no picnic.

National Weather Service forecasts show an increase in the chance of thunderstorms, well into next week. A greater chance of lightning means a greater chance of fires.

The region is already home to several wildfires, with smoke from those and from a mass of fires in British Columbia fouling air quality in western valleys.  Strong west winds are expected to push some of the smoke east of the Cascades during the weekend.  But winds that can push smoke away can also fan fires.

Friday's high temperatures showed a decline from Thursday, but not a big one.  Portland, Eugene, Roseburg, and Medford all set record highs on Thursday.  Medford topped out at 109, but Friday at 5 PM saw only 100.

It probably didn't feel like "only" to anyone forced to be outside.  But the trend is steadily downward, toward something more like average temperatures by late next week.

Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.