The Pacific Northwest and British Columbia are experiencing a very hot weekend. Temperatures in many areas will reach new heights on Sunday and Monday. It was already a record-breaking start to the weekend as Seattle recorded 97°F on Saturday, making it the hottest day of June. Other towns and cities will also be breaking records, as temperatures may rise up to 30 degrees above the normal. This is dangerous for an area that doesn't have air conditioner. National Weather Service Seattle tweeted that you may need to keep a list of records that will be broken by Friday.AdvertisementThis heat wave will continue to be felt in the region for several days, with no relief from unusual weather patterns known as a "heat dome". National Geographic explained that it is exactly what it sounds like. It is an area of high pressure, which parks over a region like the lid of a pot, trapping heat.AdvertisementAdvertisementOver the weekend, Seattle will reach 100 degrees and Portland may surpass its record of 107. As officials warned of the dangers of extreme weather, farmers closed down stores and sold portable air conditioners and fans. Representative Earl Blumenauer, Oregon, stated that heat at this level can kill and lead to death very quickly.AdvertisementIt is important that residents of the region get used to it as extreme heat waves will likely become more common due to climate change. Evidence from around the globe shows that climate change is increasing heat waves' frequency, intensity, and duration. Kristie Ebi from the University of Washington, who studies global warming, stated that we will have to adapt to this. Experts agree that the region isn't prepared for extreme heat. The fact that there are not many air conditioners is just one part of the story. According to Vivek Shandas (a professor at Portland State University in climate adaptation and urban policies), the Pacific Northwest is not prepared for heat. While our power grids are heavily taxed in winter for heating, they have less capacity to handle the heat in summer.
