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“Dangerous” Heat Dome Shifts Eastward, Triple-Digit Temps Expected For Southeast
“Dangerous” Heat Dome Shifts Eastward, Triple-Digit Temps Expected For Southeast
A heat dome hovering over the northern Plains has begun to shift eastward early this week, expected to bring triple-digit temperatures across southern and eastern regions of the U.S.
“Dangerous heat will continue to make headlines from the central U.S. to the Southeast. One more day of well above normal, near-record and record-breaking heat is expected from the central Plains to the Upper Midwest.
“Excessive Heat Warnings remain in effect for the Red River Valley of the North and the greater Minneapolis area. High temperatures up to 100 degrees along with high humidity will lead to head indices into the mid-100s …
“The center of the heat wave begins to transition further east on Tuesday into the Great Lakes, with forecast highs in the mid- to upper 90s, up to 15-20 degrees above normal.
“In addition to hot high temperatures, very warm, near-record and record-breaking low temperatures in the 70s will provide little relief from the heat overnight. Temperatures will also warm up across the Southeast on Wednesday, with highs into the low 100s expected. Maximum heat indices may reach as high as 110 degrees along the central Gulf Coast when factoring in high humidity. High temperatures in general will be hot and a bit above normal across most of the central and eastern U.S. outside of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic,” the National Weather Service wrote in an early morning weather outlook.
At 0800 ET, at least nine million people across eight northern and central U.S. states, including Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Kansas, were under heat alerts. That number should exponentially increase as the heat dome moves eastward.
Summer begins Tuesday, and large swaths of the Central and southern parts of the country could see above-average max temperatures through the end of the month.
Above-average weather will increase cooling demand from households and businesses, may strain power grids, and result in higher electricity costs for tens of millions of Americans, or worst, power blackouts.
Quick Shot Of Heat To Roast 100 Million People In Northeast
Quick Shot Of Heat To Roast 100 Million People In Northeast
About 100 million people in the Northeast will be blasted with a quick shot of heat and humidity this Saturday and Sunday. High temperatures are expected to range between the upper 80s and mid-90s from Ohio to Washington, D.C. to Baltimore to Philadelphia to New York City.
AccuWeather meteorologists say some cities in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast could see the hottest conditions since last August. In some metro areas, record highs for this time of year that have stood the test of time could be broken.
Daily record highs that have stood since the World War II and Great Depression eras will be challenged at a number of locations. At Philadelphia, temperatures could approach the record of 95 set in 1934 on Saturday. In both Raleigh, North Carolina, and Albany, New York, the daily records for Saturday, May 21, were set in 1941. The record in Raleigh is 96, while the record in New York’s state capital is 91. -AccuWeather
“Early season heat with likely record high temperatures will spread from the South into the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast on Friday, Saturday, and perhaps Sunday,” the National Weather Service said. The agency has issued a Heat Advisory along the I-95 corridor in the Northeast.
It’s the first time since 2006 that a Heat Advisory for New York City has been issued for this time of year. Tomorrow, high temps in Central Park could reach 93 degrees, tying a record for the date. The quick blast of heat comes as temperatures in the urban park between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan haven’t even breached 80 degrees yet this year.
“The brunt of it should just be a one-day thing … at the minimum, we will be close to all the records in NYC,” Matt Wunsch, a weather service meteorologist on Long Island, told Bloomberg.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
New England is an Energy Crisis Waiting to Happen
“A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” – Carl Reiner
At its core, the human body is a symphony of chemical reactions. The complexities and interdependencies of the molecular machinery that makes our bodies function are almost too staggering to ponder. As any chemist can attest, chemical reactions are usually quite sensitive to temperature, and sensitivity to temperature varies substantially across reaction pathways. As such, temperature control not only dictates reaction rates, but it also influences product and byproduct distributions. At one temperature, two reagents might react cleanly to produce a desired product with high purity. At a different temperature, an undesirable pathway might become more kinetically favored, leading to the accumulation of unwanted impurities.
One of the miracles of the body is its ability to maintain strict internal temperature control, which allows it to regulate the speed and product distributions of the myriad of chemical reactions that are occurring inside you as you read this. The equilibria are delicate, so much so that fluctuations of a mere few degrees can be fatal. This concept of “normal” body temperature is widely understood, but its direct, vital connection to the core chemical reactions occurring inside you is less well known.
Because internal temperature is critical to sustaining life, the body has developed elaborate heat management systems, including discomfort nudges (like shivering and sweating) that are meant to directly generate or shed heat and motivate you to relocate to a more suitable environment. If you stand outside for a few minutes in the winter wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt, you become uncomfortable rather quickly. Return inside to a warm fire and a rewarding comfort envelops you. Just don’t get too close to the fire, lest the body be forced to nudge you back outside.
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200 Million Americans Roast In Two Massive “Heat Domes”
200 Million Americans Roast In Two Massive “Heat Domes”
At the beginning of the week, we told readers the dog days of summer have finally arrived with above-average temperatures for most of the country.
By late Thursday, watch/warning/advisory alerts for dangerous heat extended to nearly 200 million Americans as multiple heat domes scorch the Pacific Northwest, Central states, and East Coast.
“Dangerous heat and humidity in the Northwest, Northeast, and central portions of the CONUS have prompted Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories. Severe thunderstorms will impact the areas from the Midwest into the Great Lakes through Thursday,” the National Weather Service (NWS) wrote on its website.
“Around 195 million Americans are under a watch/warning/advisory for dangerous heat. Yes, it’s summer, but this type of heat can kill,” the National Weather Service (NWS) warned in a tweet.
Temperature forecasts for the lower 48 states show mean temperatures will peak Friday/Saturday and trend lower through Monday, with another spurt of hot weather slated through Aug. 22.
NYMEX Natgas futures have slumped nearly 4% in the last four sessions as traders begin to price in colder weather next week.
As we’ve shown, average temperatures are peaking for the lower 48 states and should begin to decline after this month.
Meanwhile, hot temps and a megadrought in the US West have fueled 105 large files burning 2.4 million acres in 14 states. The largest fire is Dixie in northern California, burning more than 500,000 acres so far.
Making matters worse, Bloomberg reports a La Niña weather pattern is forecasted to develop during the August-October season and last through the 2021-22 winter.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
“Apocalyptic Scenes” – Wildfires Consume Turkey
“Apocalyptic Scenes” – Wildfires Consume Turkey
Wildfires have been ravaging Turkey’s Mediterranean coast for the past few days, killing four, burning thousands of building structures, and affecting more than a dozen provinces.
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin called the wildfires a national disaster.
According to Reuters, at least 60 wildfires have broken out across the country’s Mediterranean and southern Aegean region.
Forestry Minister Pakdemirli said 4,000 firefighters, 680 firefighting vehicles, 38 helicopters, nine drones, and three planes battle the wildfires.
“We were hoping to contain some of the fires as of this morning but while we say cautiously that they are improving, we still cannot say they are under control,” Pakdemirli said.
DW correspondent Julia Hahn tweeted scenes from Manavgat in Antalya province showing “apocalyptic scenes” of one wildfire.
Social media is full of horrifying videos of the wildfires.
Senior scientist of Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service Mark Parrington used satellite data to determine the “deadly scale” of the wildfires and shows which coastal areas are most affected.
Another view of the wildfires from space.
There’s still no word how the destructive fires began, but one government says “sabotage” cannot be ruled out.
Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidential communications director, said “comprehensive investigations” are being launched into the origins of the wildfires.
“Those responsible will have to account for the attacks against nature and forests,” Altun tweeted.
Turkey has been plagued with a heat wave like much of southeast Europe.
In neighboring Greece, authorities warned the public against the heightened risk of wildfires during the latest heat wave.
“A difficult weather phenomenon is coming in the next days with extremely high temperatures and several days of heat wave,” Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said. “I call on – I urge – everyone to show the highest degree of responsibility and cooperation.”
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Christmas Tree Farms Scorched In Oregon Amid Record Heat
Christmas Tree Farms Scorched In Oregon Amid Record Heat
Oregon’s record-breaking heat waves and raging wildfires are set to dent Christmas tree crop output, resulting in supply constraints that may send prices skyrocketing come December.
According to Reuters, who spoke with multiple Christmas tree farm operators in Oregon, one of the top Christmas tree producing states, extreme heat and wildfires are impacting crop yields.
Jacob Hemphill, the owner of Hemphill Tree Farm in Oregon City, estimates he’s already lost more than $100,000 in trees due to the latest back-to-back heatwaves. At one point, temperatures in the area were triple digits for days.
“The second day of the heat, it was 116. I came in the driveway that night and seen the trees were basically cooking. Burnt down to nothing,” Hemphill said.
He said the losses will impact his farm revenue this year but hopes the 2022 season will improve.
“I mean, you just kind of got to roll with the punches, and replant next year… and hopefully make up for the loss that we’re gonna have in the future.”
Reuters spoke to several tree farm operators across the Willamette Valley who said the heat waves have severely damaged their crops.
On top of the heat waves, the Bootleg Fire in Southern Oregon, spurred by months of drought, has burned nearly 400,000 acres and is likely to increase in size as no relief is in sight.
Oregon is the top-selling state of Christmas trees which are Douglas fir, Noble fir, Grand fir, and Nordmann fir. This could present supply constraints come December.
In other words, on the back of already record-high prices, consumers could shell out even more money this year for a Christmas tree if shortages materialize in Oregon. On top of the supply crunch, the cost of everything, from fuel to labor to transportation, has soared and will positively impact prices.
Bootleg Fire In Oregon Uncontrollably Doubles In Size Amid Megadrought
Bootleg Fire In Oregon Uncontrollably Doubles In Size Amid Megadrought
Large swaths of the Western half of the US experienced triple-digit temperatures this past weekend, with intense heat expected to continue through mid-week. As the West baked, a huge wildfire doubled in size in southern Oregon, continuing to threaten major transmission lines that feed power into northern California.
California and other surrounding states are plagued with a megadrought, continuing heat waves, water shortages, fears of rolling blackouts, and an early fire season that could be one for the record books.
The fire in focus Monday is the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, approximately doubling in size in the last 48 hours to more than 150,000 acres.
The U.S. Forest Service published an incident report from the weekend specifying, “firefighters, emergency managers and other public safety officials faced the fifth day in a row of extreme, intense fire behavior on the Bootleg Fire, as hot, dry, windy weather persists in the area.”
The Bootleg fire began in the Fremont-Winema National Forest near the Sprague River last Tuesday. Nearby residents in Klamath County were told to evacuate because of imminent fire danger.
On Sunday, the wildfire continued to spread and was zero percent contained. Extreme hot temperatures and a megadrought appear to be what fuels the fire.
According to NBC News, “the fire interrupted electrical lines that transmit power from Oregon to California. The state lost thousands of megawatts of imported power and struggled to maintain operating reserves as temperatures soared into triple digits in parts of the state.”
Last week, the wildfire prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue an emergency proclamation to free up additional energy supplies.
On Friday, the state’s grid operator, California Independent System Operator (ISO), was very close to triggering rolling blackouts to thwart a collapse of the power grid.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Dozens Die Across British Columbia And Pacific Northwest Amid “Historic” Heat Wave
Dozens Die Across British Columbia And Pacific Northwest Amid “Historic” Heat Wave
The Pacific Northwest is experiencing a multi-day heat wave that we said last week would be “historic.” The unrelenting triple-digit temperatures shattered records on Monday and Tuesday and have stressed out power grids in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Many folks in these areas don’t have central air condition and struggle to survive in these unprecedented conditions. At the moment, dozens have died of heat-related complications since last Friday.
Just north of the Pacific Northwest is Canada’s westernmost province, British Columbia, where Death Valley hot temperatures reached triple digits. Many folks in this region of the Pacific coastline and mountain ranges don’t have central air condition and found it challenging to stay cool.
CNN reports more than 230 deaths across British Columbia have been recorded since Friday. The coroner for the region called it an “unprecedented time.”
“Since the onset of the heat wave late last week, the BC Coroners Service has experienced a significant increase in deaths reported where it is suspected that extreme heat has been contributory,” Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a statement.
BC Coroners Service said it usually receives on average 130 deaths over four days, but from Friday through Monday, at least 233 deaths were reported. The chief coroner warned this number is expected to climb as new data comes in.
“Environmental heat exposure can lead to severe or fatal results, particularly in older people, infants and young children and those with chronic illnesses,” the coroner’s office said.
As for the Pacific Northwest, a dozen deaths in Washington and Oregon are believed to be due to heat-related complications. Temperatures in Seattle and Portland have recorded highs over 100 degrees for multiple days.
We noted Tuesday, Portland and Seattle experienced temperatures 30 to 40 degrees above average.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Triple-Digit Heat Dome Bakes Pacific Northwest, Triggers First Blackout
Triple-Digit Heat Dome Bakes Pacific Northwest, Triggers First Blackout
The Pacific Northwest is experiencing a multi-day heat wave that we said last week would be “historic.” The unrelenting triple-digit temperatures shattered records across the region and have stressed out power grids where rolling blackouts have been reported.
Bloomberg reports Avista Corporation, which supplies electricity to 340,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers, triggered its first rolling blackout across its grid after it became overloaded Monday evening. Rotating outages first hit 9,300 customers late Monday and could expand as temperatures remain well above average through July 4.
Avista was the first major utility to report rolling blackouts in the Northwest region, and with positive temperature anomalies to linger through the week, it may not be the last.
Avista has never “experienced this kind of demand on our system and this kind of impact to our system,” Heather Rosentrater, senior vice president of energy delivery at the utility company, told reporters during a press conference Monday. She called the weather event “very unprecedented.”
As we noted last Friday, “a “historic” heat wave was set to transform the Pacific Northwest into a furnace this weekend. It has the potential to shatter long-standing temperature records.” And that is precisely what it did.
Major metros, such as Portland and Seattle, broke record highs by huge margins as positive temperature anomalies reached between 30 to 40 degrees.
Portland hit 116 degrees by Monday afternoon, the highest temperature in more than eight decades of record-keeping. It was the third day of triple-digit temps.
Seattle recorded 108 degrees Monday afternoon, easily surpassing its previous 103-degree record from 2009. Positive temperature anomalies for the city yesterday were 34 degrees, usually temps average around 74 degrees.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
“Unprecedented Event” – Pacific Northwest Set To Shatter Heat Records This Weekend
“Unprecedented Event” – Pacific Northwest Set To Shatter Heat Records This Weekend
A “historic” heat wave is set to transform the U.S. Pacific Northwest into a furnace this weekend. It has the potential to shatter long-standing temperature records, according to Reuters.
“This will be setting the stage for the beginning of a potential historic heat wave for the Northwest this weekend,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said. Excessive heat warnings are in effect for much of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and northern parts of California.
“High temperatures will still be 10 to 20 degrees above average and lead into the weekend when numerous record highs are likely,” NWS said.
“A number of Portland Airport high-temperature records are in jeopardy this weekend. Not only will PDX likely set the warmest temperature for June 26th & June for that matter, but the all time record temperature of 107°F remains in serious jeopardy,” NWS Portland tweeted.
NWS Portland added: the “extreme heat wave this weekend is expected to break several daily, monthly and possibly all-time records. This is an unprecedented event…have a plan in place to remain cool!”
According to Axios, “the heat wave will affect a region where many people lack central air conditioning, raising the likelihood for public health impacts. In addition, power demand is likely to spike at a time when hydropower resources are running relatively low due to drier than average conditions.”
Heat waves such as this one have been impacting much of the western half of the US this year, sparking a megadrought, fallow lands, and soon-to-be grasshopper plague that may decimate crops further.
If you can’t stand the heat…get off of the planet!
If you can’t stand the heat…get off of the planet!
As I sit in 90-degree heat typical of Washington, D.C. in midsummer and a so-called “heat dome” hovers over much of the United States, I am reading the following:
At 11 or 12 degrees [Fahrenheit] of [global] warming, more than half the world’s population, as distributed today, would die of direct heat. Things almost certainly won’t get that hot this century, though models of unabated emissions do bring us that far eventually.
That implies one of two things: A lot of migration or a lot fewer people. This second thought is suggested in the observation above, but few people want to come out and say it: What we are doing to the climate, to the air, to the water and to the soil, and thus to ourselves, on our current trajectory implies a dramatic decline in human population as multiple crises converge and our ability to cope with them dwindles.
As it turns out, the number of 90-degree days in Washington’s summers has been on a steady rise. And even though the record for the longest streak of days with temperatures reaching above 90 wasn’t broken this time—only 20 days in a row instead of 21—those 90-degree days are coming sooner in the season, and there are more of them.
“Okay, so it’s hot,” you may say. “We’ll live. We’ll live by staying indoors in the air-conditioning, by drinking more water, by taking more cold showers, by simply taking it easy in the hot temperatures of midday, right?”
I was in the great heat wave which hit Chicago in July 1995. I was staying with friends whose second-floor apartment had no air-conditioning. None of us believed air-conditioning was particularly healthy for humans and generally avoided it. We were all quite a bit younger, of course, and so held up quite well the first three days since we had all already adapted to summer temperatures by forgoing air-conditioning.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Heat Dome Roasts US With Temps Forecast To Approach 100°F
Heat Dome Roasts US With Temps Forecast To Approach 100°F
A massive heat dome is set to intensify this weekend, expected to roast hundreds of millions of Americans with temperatures in some regions approaching 95-100°F.
A portion of the same weather system, a large area of high pressure, that has been building and broiling the south-central United States much of this week will poke northeastward in the coming days.
Actual temperatures are forecast to rise well into the 90s F from portions of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York state, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
A few locations over the mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley can reach or exceed 100 degrees for a couple of hours in the afternoon on Sunday and Monday. – Accuweather
Meteorologist Ryan Maue tweeted, “the Lower 48 average high temperature will be over 90°F 🌡️ 265 million population 90°+” on Saturday. h/t Meteorologist Ryan Maue
The National Weather Service warns heat indices over 100°F will be found in the Midwest through the weekend.
The National Integrated Drought Information System warns “outside of the Southeast, every region of the USA has some drought.”
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
7 Inexpensive Ways To Cool Off Without Air Conditioning!
7 Inexpensive Ways To Cool Off Without Air Conditioning!
With the hottest days of summer quickly approaching for most of us, it’s important to know how to stay cool, especially when you’re working outside and doing those homestead chores. It’s really easy to get hot but here are a few inexpensive ways to stay cool when the temperatures start to soar.
With the hottest days of summer quickly approaching for most of us, it’s important to know how to stay cool, especially when you’re working outside and doing those homestead chores. It’s really easy to get hot but here are a few inexpensive ways to stay cool when the temperatures start to soar.
- Wear Light Cotton Clothing – wearing cotton clothing in light colors will help you feel much cooler. Darker synthetic fabrics tend to absorb the heat from the sun, while the light will go through lighter colored clothes. Also, don’t wear anything tight. Loose-fitting clothes are best for the heat to allow better airflow. Cotton also helps by absorbing perspiration. Linen or silk are also great options for staying cool. Avoid synthetic fabrics such as elastane and polyester. Synthetic fibers retain heat and will increase your body’s temperature. You should also wear a hat to help keep the direct sunlight off your face and neck.
- Stay Hydrated – Drink a lot of water. Your body gets dehydrated much more quickly during extreme heat. Sweating, the human body’s main cooling mechanism, uses your body’s water. Our perspiration does not evaporate easily when the air itself is full of moisture, so we feel hotter on humid days. Sweat also contains sodium, so make sure you are eating whole natural foods that can help replenish your body. I don’t mean pour a bunch of salt on your lunch, just some veggies known to have a slightly higher sodium content.
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Extreme ‘Heat Dome’ to Fry U.S. With Record Temperatures from 90F to 121F for Several Weeks
Extreme ‘Heat Dome’ to Fry U.S. With Record Temperatures from 90F to 121F for Several Weeks
It appears that a sizzling “heat dome” will be frying most of the continental United States for several weeks starting this weekend.
(TMU) – It was only to be expected that in an already brutal year, the summer of 2020 was going to be the absolute worst.
And now, it appears that a sizzling “heat dome” will be frying most of the continental United States for several weeks starting this weekend.
What this means is that over 80 percent of the U.S. population – encompassing 265 million people – can expect sweltering heat over the next week with highs exceeding 90. Another 45 million people will be facing highs in the triple digits.
Additionally, we can expect a full season of lethal heat ranging from 90°F to 121°F, not to mention extreme tropical storms, wildfires, and extreme weather related to La Niña conditions, reports the Independent.
On Friday, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat watch alerts for “dangerously hot conditions” and forecast that between Friday and Tuesday, over 75 record high temperatures would be reached or exceeded, with heat expected to increase in the following week.
On Saturday, temperature in Las Vegas reached a sweltering 112°F with the temperature expected to increase to 114°F on Sunday, while in Phoenix temperatures hit 115°F with Sunday expected to bring a withering 116°F before coasting at or above 110°F through the next week.
The new extremes sharply raise the danger of heat-related illness and death, further adding to the woes of hospitals struggling with surging COVID-19 infections in hard-hit regions and states like Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas.
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Arctic Heat Overwhelms Green Infighting Issues
Arctic Heat Overwhelms Green Infighting Issues
Image Source: Hunter Allen and Richard Rivera – Public Domain
Arctic temperatures are soaring to new records… and staying there, ever since May of this year. Truth be known, the Arctic’s been heating up for years. Siberia recently hit 105°F. That’s not normal. It’s 30°F hotter than normal.
Farther south, the Amazon rainforest is hit with a drought every 5 years like clockwork, not regular run of the mill droughts but massive excessive devastating droughts. NASA’s GRACE satellite, measuring water levels stored deep beneath Earth’s surface showed Deep Red Zones beneath the Amazon rainforest, not watery blue.
Climate activists have been warning about overheating of the planet for decades, ever since Dr. James Hansen’s testimony before the Senate in 1987: “The greenhouse effect has been detected, and it is changing our climate now.” (Hansen)
Fast forward to June 2020: Since Hansen’s testimony, thirty-three years of climate activists bitching, protesting, kicking and screaming and bellyaching about excessive human-generated CO2 has gone nowhere but backward as a relentless rise in CO2 emissions trudges ahead measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii.
Post-Hansen’s testimony the annual rate of CO2 increase has more than doubled, not gone down but doubled. Up, up and away, year-over-year, it never goes down. It’s the main culprit blanketing the atmosphere, retaining heat for hundreds of years and fast becoming the Big Oven in the Sky.
Clearly, too much heat has already overwhelmed the Arctic and Amazon rainforest ecosystems. Along the way, greenie frustration is finally coming to a head as environmentalists “catfight” in open public.
For example, Michael Moore and Jeff Gibbs’ controversial film Planet of the Humans (Rumble Media) serves as an opening salvo, exposing a green movement that has turned a light shade of brown. The film paints a painful picture of a movement that, in certain instances, has gone off the rails.
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