PNW Heat Records: 6 Straight Days In Seattle At/Over 90F; Portland 7 Straight At/Over 95F

[hatrack]

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Link to tweet

Link to tweet

In Medford, Ore., it got as hot as 114 degrees Friday, just one degree from its all-time high. Tri-Cities Airport near Kennewick, Wash., managed a high of 110 degrees on Thursday, 112 on Friday and 109 on Saturday.

The hot weather across the West has fueled a spattering of wildfires in Oregon and Washington, but the McKinney Fire in Northern California is the region’s severest blaze. It has burned an area roughly twice the size of Disney World as high temperatures have helped desiccate the landscape, and the ground is replete with dry fuels available to burn.

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Just how dry is that region of California? The ERC, or Energy Release Component, is 97 percent. That’s a figure related to how much fuel per unit area is available to burn. Values over 80 percent reflect a propensity for dangerous wildfires; at 97 percent, explosive wildfire growth is possible. High temperatures, boosted by the effects of human-induced climate change, contribute to larger and more extreme wildfires. Eighteen of California’s 20 biggest wildfires have occurred in the past two decades.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/08/01/heatwave-northwest-lower48-us-plains/

[cbabe]

1. Blue angels still flying

Unbelievable still letting blue angels fly in Seattle. Military thrill helping to kill us right after week long heat emergency.