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A heat wave threatens the Pacific Northwest this Mother’s Day weekend with possible record-breaking temperatures.
The National Weather Service reports high temperatures will surge into the 80s and 90s — 20 to 30 degrees above normal for this time of year.
“Many parts of the coastal Pacific Northwest will tie or break temperature records this weekend,” the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center said in a Saturday forecast discussion.
The NWS issued heat advisories from Saturday to Monday for the Western Oregon and Washington areas, where many residents lack central air conditioning units. The agency also reminded residents that lakes and rivers are still very cold and residents should be wary if they’re tempted to cool off by taking a dip.
By early next week, the hot temperatures will spread into the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains regions.
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Deadly heat waves in region’s past
Fueled by climate change, scorching temperatures that gripped the Pacific Northwest region in recent years have been deadly.
Around 800 people died in the brutal heat wave that blanketed Oregon, Washington and British Columbia in the summer of 2021.
In June of that year, close to 100 residents in Oregon died of extreme heat, with more than 70 of those deaths in Multnomah County, according to the City of Portland.
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Highs that summer soared to a record 116 degrees in Portland and 107 degrees in Seattle.
An average of 702 heat-related deaths occur each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than a third of heat-related deaths globally are a result of climate change, an analysis published in the journal Nature found.
How to stay safe in a heat wave
Infants, older adults, pregnant people, young children and those with chronic health conditions without sufficient cooling and hydration are at higher risk of hyperthermia.
NWS advises people to stay safe by:
- Staying hydrated: Eat light, cool foods and drink plenty of water.
- Slowing down: Reduce or eliminate strenuous activities
- Wearing lightweight clothing: Loose fitting, light-colored and lightweight clothing can help you stay cooler.
- Directing fans away: If you use a portable electric fan indoors, direct it away from yourself. Blowing hot air when the room temperature is 90 degrees or more can speed up dehydration.
- Find cooler spots: If your home doesn’t have air conditioning, spend time in air conditioned buildings such as malls and libraries.
As a result of 2021’s deadly highs, Portland launched a cooling program that distributed and installed portable heat pump cooling units, as many households in the region do not have air conditioning.
The program, focused on vulnerable, disadvantaged populations including low-income and people of color, began last summer and will continue over a period of five years.
Officials in Portland’s Multnomah County said they are monitoring the forecast but as of now aren’t opening special cooling centers, according to the Associated Press.
“This is the first significant event … and it is early for us,” Chris Voss, the county’s director of emergency management, told AP. “We’re not seeing a situation where we are hearing that this is extremely dangerous. That being said, we don’t know if it’s going to drift.”
Contributing: The Associated Press
Reach Nada Hassanein at nhassanein@usatoday.com or on Twitter @nhassanein_
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