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BC erupted into forest fires weeks ago, due to a late snowfall that melted off too fast to soak into the ground. There's also a forest fire south of Bellingham. Friends in Seattle tell me there seem to be fires in the city the news isn't talking about, because they've been hearing fire engines all over town throughout yesterday.
Precisely this was predicted in the early 70's, as the result of steady global warming; excessive heat triggering forest fires that contribute to CO2 in the atmosphere, which in turn accelerates climate warming, causing a vicious cycle that results in an exponential rise in temps around the planet. This is the beginning of the end; what Seattle and BC are experiencing are not an anomaly. It's a harbinger of the "new normal" to come.
I am afraid that you are correct. Forest fires, temperature anomalies like blistering heat waves or so-called "thousand year" floods are becoming all too common. I feel bad for the young people and the children yet to come. Their lives are going to be difficult with the earth's climate turning upside down.
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Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
Northern New Mexico is cooler than usual for August, and is predicted to stay that way for the month. Strange.
SW Colorado has been experiencing somewhat cooler temps than normal, as well. However the high humidity we have been experiencing makes 85 degrees feel more like 95 degrees. I suspect that increased ocean temperatures in the Gulf and off the Baja California are responsible. Even a couple of degrees in difference can cause all sorts of unpleasant changes in the weather.
I'd like to note here that although the I-5 corridor in the PacNW is having a major heat wave, the Olympic Peninsula is having normal temps in the mid-70's. I assume that's because they're closer to the coast, but I haven't studied it. I wonder how the Oregon coast is doing. Portland always has more extreme weather, due to its location away from the ocean: colder winters, warmer summers.
Was listening to NPR while driving and they reported 106 in Portland. They've set up cooling centers since most people in that area don't have air conditioners. We lived in the Sea/Tac area for 5 years and the occasional upper 80's were already considered really hot. Since we moved there from southern AZ it still felt wonderfully cool though.
The humidity has been up, but 20% should not make that much difference. Granted, 108 with 20% is hot, but that is still considered low humidity. I'm developing a curiosity about barometric pressure and dew points as they relate to our experience of the heat despite the low humidity.
I'm woefully ignorant on the subject. There's probably a weather geek on here who can explain it to me with ease.
I don't believe this to be a record-breaker. About 12 to 13 years ago the Portland-metro area had temperatures of 104 to 107 for several days in a row. And I remember a few days like that even back in the 80's.
We've been relatively pleasant here in Central NC for the last couple weeks and highs will still only be in the 80's according to the 15-day forecast. My Cousin in Oregon is complaining of bad smoke and high temps in the 100's. Who thought NC's (non-mountainous) summer weather would be much better than the PNW? Wow!
Hate it for those who live in it, but I'm glad it's there and not here. Last year we were boiling in heat that didn't let up until almost November. This year it has been below average - so a nice change!
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