Holy ****. I was shocked when I read this. The forecast high in Portland, Oregon is 115 today. Tomorrow is 114. Seattle forecast high is 109 tomorrow. That is so far beyond normal its insane.
It's not a regular thing at this latitude or a wandering dome--or hasn't been until now. As the Earth warms up the temp differences between pole and tropics that drive the jet stream become lesser leading to a loopy and weakened jet stream that can be pushed around by hot high pressure systems. This is a similar dynamic to last year except then, it happened in Siberia where there were massive records and multiple large wildfires. The arctic region is heating faster than other parts of the world and that has a definite influence here. Records were set yesterday in the US and will be surpassed today. Seattle, home to only three 100 degree days in recorded history will have 3 and maybe 4 in a row. Tomorrow will likely be the hottest day in Canada in recorded history by a substantial margin with interior temps hitting 115 or more. In the Canadian Rockies, once you throw in the records temps and humidity levels, there will be some places that feel like 140 degrees or more on Monday. That's not livable. This is an anomalous event that would not be happening without climate change. This is also wreaking havoc on infrastructure, almost all of which was designed and built for stable 20th century temps. Sidewalks and streets are buckling across the NW and Canada.
Those are Death Valley temperatures -- I experienced the 115 degree day in Austin back in 2005 and I can't even believe that is possible in Seattle.
Wow didn’t realize what was happening in the PNW. Is it just me or have we had a crazy amount of precipitation the last several months? Every time I check the forecast there’s rain and I’ve had to water my yard maybe once this year.
Not just record-setting, but shattering. Yesterday, like the day before it, just obliterated records by 2-4 degree or more.
