Water in Local Rivers Remains Very Cold

Be very careful around the rivers this week into next. Air temperatures are going to get up into the '90s on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday most likely but the North Umpqua River is still in the high 50s. That is very cold and people need to be very cautious around the water right now. For perspective on how unusual this is to have the river be this cold this late, in 2019 the North Umpqua River was almost 74 degrees by June 12th or so! Tips from the National Weather Service: Body heat can be lost 4 times faster in cold water than in cold air. Wearing a life jacket significantly increases chances of survival. Cold shock can be just as severe and dangerous from water temperatures of 50-60F (10-15C) as it is from water at 35F (2C). Gasping for a breath or rapid breathing from sudden immersion can be triggered by water as warm as 77F (25C).