Global Courant 2023-05-13 17:15:07
Temperatures are expected to rise significantly in parts of the Pacific Northwest on Saturday as an early heat wave emerges, potentially breaking records and exacerbating wildfires already burning across western Canada.
The historically temperate region has suffered scorching summer temperatures and unprecedented wildfires due to climate change in recent years.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for much of the western parts of both Oregon and Washington state Saturday through Monday. It said the temperatures could raise the risk of heat-related illness, especially for those who are dehydrated or lack effective cooling.
Temperatures in Portland, Oregon, are expected to hover around 94 F all weekend, according to the weather service. The current daily temperature records for May 13 and 14 stand at 92 F and 91 F, dating back to 1973 and 2014, respectively.
Temperatures in the Seattle area could also meet or exceed daily records, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jacob DeFlitch. The mercury could reach near 85 F on Saturday and hit the low 90s on Sunday, he said.
The unusually high temperatures could further fuel dozens of fires in Canada’s western province of Alberta, where officials have ordered evacuations and declared a state of emergency. Residents and officials in the Northwest have been trying to adapt to the likely reality of longer, hotter heat waves following the deadly 2021 “heat dome” weather phenomenon that led to record temperatures and deaths across the region.
Elizabeth Romero and her three children were among those cooling off at a fountain in downtown Portland on Friday afternoon.
“We decided to drop by…until we all feel better,” she said, adding that she plans to hit up shady parks on the weekends.
King County, home to Seattle, instructed carriers such as bus drivers to let people ride for free if they’re looking for a respite from the heat or on their way to a cooling center. The county’s regional homeless authority said several cold storage and day centers will be open across the country.
Authorities also urged people to be wary of cold water temperatures should they be tempted to swim in the river or lake to cool off. River temperatures are likely to be around 40 degrees, said National Weather Service meteorologist Higa.
Residents and officials in the Pacific Northwest have become more vigilant about heat wave preparations after some 800 people died in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia during heat dome weather in late June and early July 2021. Temperatures then rose to an all-time high – time high of 116 F in Portland and broke heat records in cities and towns across the region. Many of the deceased were elderly people living alone.
In response, Oregon passed a law requiring all new homes built after April 2024 to have air conditioning in at least one room. The law already prohibits landlords in most cases from prohibiting tenants from installing refrigeration equipment in their rental units.
Last summer, Portland launched a heat response program aiming to install portable heat pumps and refrigeration units in low-income households, prioritizing residents who are older and living alone, as well as those with underlying health conditions. Local nonprofits participating in the program installed more than 3,000 units last year, according to the city’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
Officials in Multnomah County, home to Portland, said they have no plans to open dedicated cold storage centers for now, but are keeping an eye on the forecast and can do so if necessary.
“This is the first major event … and it’s early for us,” said Chris Voss, the district director of emergency management. “We don’t see a situation where we hear that this is extremely dangerous. That said, we don’t know if it’s going to drift.”
