It looks miserable. Screenshot: Earth wind mapBoth sides of the border have seen records broken by the heat wave that centered around the Pacific Northwest. In some cases, those records only lasted for 24 hours. The mercury reached new heights even before the heat of the day. This is a region that is more famous for its drizzle than sizzle.AdvertisementSalem, Oregon is currently at 116°F (46.7° Celsius), surpassing the record that it set just two days ago. The heat is so intense that it would only be a degree below the record for Las Vegas. The city is 740 miles (1.191 km) south, located in the middle of desert heat and known for its triple-digit heat. While I was writing this post, Lytton in British Columbia, Canada, reached 117 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a new record for the country. The record was set by the same town on Sunday. It actually reached 47 degrees Celsius, which is 117 degrees Fahrenheit. It's hot as hell, regardless of how you slice it.Portland reached 113 Fahrenheit (45 Celsius), breaking the record it set Sunday. Seattle received a sea breeze just in-time to beat the predicted 110-degree Fahrenheit (43.3-degree Celsius) temperature. The temperature soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (36.7 degrees Celsius) Monday, a rare event in recorded history.Quillayute in Washington, a small town located on the Olympic Peninsula, reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.8 Celsius) at 5 miles (8 km) from the coast. This record was broken by 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5° Celsius) which is a feat that rarely happens. (Records are usually broken by one or two degrees.The region's infrastructure is being destroyed by the intense heat. It was never designed to withstand the extreme temperatures, let alone endure them for so long. Heat-related diseases are becoming more common in the region, and people are trying to beat the heat wherever possible.Extreme heat is not limited to one area of the country, or even the border between the U.S. and Canada. The stifling heat has swept across North America, from the Canadian Arctic to Baja California to the Gulf Coast to Prince Edward Island. Although the Pacific Northwest heat wave is rightfully grabbing headlines for its unpredicted nature, I can assure you that New York right now feels like it's in a dog's mouth.The top-right map shows the Earth wind map. This gives an aliens' eye view (or birds eye) of the situation. This map shows what is known as the misery index. The index is calculated using data from weather models. It considers not only temperature, but also humidity. The index also considers wind chill in cold months. I know, I'd love that toe-numbing sensation right now. It looks almost like North America is getting sunburned. This, in my opinion, is about right.AdvertisementThis is the climate crisis. The planet's temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit (1.8° Celsius) due to fossil fuel burning. But that heat shifts the odds, so that what was once uncommon becomes common and what was previously unimaginable happens. You might want to bookmark the misery indicator as it may prove useful in the future.
