The most at-risk regions in the world for high-impact heatwaves.
April 2023
V. Thompson, et al (Nature Communications)
In this article, the authors show where regional temperature records are
statistically likely to be exceeded and which communities might be more
at risk for climate change.
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Washington state’s 2021 heat wave contributed to 159 excess injury
deaths over three weeks.
April 2023
University of Washington. Peer Reviewed
Heat is a quiet killer. Unlike most natural disasters, which can leave
visible damage across an entire region, a heat wave’s effects on
human health can be difficult to track. So after record high temperatures
struck the Pacific Northwest in the summer of 2021, official estimates
included only people killed directly by heat exposure.
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The unprecedented Pacific Northwest heatwave of June 2021.
February 2023
R. White, et al
In late June 2021 a heatwave of unprecedented magnitude impacted the Pacific
Northwest region of Canada and the United States. The impacts of this
event were catastrophic, including hundreds of attributable deaths across
the Pacific Northwest, mass mortalities of marine life, reduced crop and
fruit yields, river flooding from rapid snow and glacier melt, and a substantial
increase in wildfires—the latter contributing to landslides in the
months following.
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2021 NW heat wave 'once-in-10,000-years kind of event'
September 2022
Alison Hewitt, UCLA
When the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave peaked at 121 degrees Fahrenheit,
it buckled roads, melted power lines, killed hundreds and led to a devastating
wildfire. Climate scientists were shocked to see heat so severe. Research
by climate scientist and statistician Karen McKinnon shows the scientific
community was right to be stunned. The 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave
was roughly a once-in-10,000-years kind of event, a UCLA study found.
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Rapid attribution analysis of the extraordinary heat wave on the Pacific
coast of the US and Canada in June 2021
December 2022
F. Otto, Michael Wehner, et al
Towards the end of June 2021, temperature records were broken by several
degrees Celsius in several cities in the Pacific Northwest areas of the
US and Canada, leading to spikes in sudden deaths and sharp increases
in emergency calls and hospital visits for heat-related illnesses. This
multi-model, multi-method attribution analysis to investigate the extent
to which human-induced climate change has influenced the probability and
intensity of extreme heat waves in this region.
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Lessons from Portland's 2021 heat wave that can help us prep for the
hot summer ahead.
2022
NPR Radio
This radio news story discusses the lessons learned from the 2021 heat
wave in Portland, Oregon, which caused hundreds of deaths and led to power
outages and other disruptions. It highlights the need for better preparation
and response to extreme heat events, particularly for vulnerable communities
such as the elderly, low-income households, and people experiencing homelessness.
Also discussed it the importance of urban planning and infrastructure
design in reducing the impacts of extreme heat, such as increasing green
spaces, shade, and access to cooling centers.
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Heat wave scorches Pacific Northwest, echoing brutal 2021 stretch.
July 2022
NBC News
The heat wave currently affecting the Pacific Northwest is reminiscent
of a similar event that occurred in June 2021 and caused hundreds of deaths
in the region. This news story discusses the factors that contribute to
these extreme heat events, including climate change and human activities
such as urbanization and deforestation. It also highlights the efforts
being made by local governments and organizations to mitigate the impacts
of extreme heat, including the provision of cooling centers and outreach
to vulnerable communities.
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It's been one year since Oregon's deadly heat dome. Will it happen again?
June 2022
Joe Raineri (KGW Channel 8)
The news story reflects on the one-year anniversary of the heat dome that
affected the Pacific Northwest in June 2021. The heat wave led to unprecedented
temperatures, causing hundreds of deaths, power outages, and transportation
disruptions. The story highlights the impacts on vulnerable communities
and how the heat wave exposed existing inequities in access to resources
such as cooling centers, shade, and clean water. Also discussed is efforts
by local governments and organizations to prepare for future extreme heat
events and address the impacts of climate change.
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Final Report: Health Impacts from Excessive Heat Events in Multnomah County,
Oregon, 2021.
June 2022
Multnoma County
Since 2016 the Multnomah County Health Department has tracked emergency
room visits and fatalities related to extreme heat. This report provides
a final accounting of deaths and emergency department visits resulting
from heat during the summer of 2021.
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Regional Climate and Health Monitoring Report 2010-2020.
Fall 2021
Multnoma County
The Regional Climate and Health Monitoring Report provides data on 12 health
conditions. The health conditions span six areas that climate change is
known to affect. This data will help guide current mitigation efforts
and provide a benchmark for future measurement.This document is the first
update to the Regional Climate and Health Monitoring Report released in 2019.
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Historic Heat Wave – Early Summer 2023.
2021
The Inland Northwest Informer
Over the last full week of June 2021, an anomalous high pressure ridge
amplified over the Pacific Northwest, leading to an unprecedented heat
wave over the region. Despite being only a week into astronomical summer,
the magnitude of this ridge led to sites all across the region setting
all-time record high temperatures.
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Preliminary Review on Excessive Heat Deaths.
July 2021
Multnoma County
The following report is a preliminary look at confirmed deaths due to hyperthermia
(which literally means “excessive heat”). What is clear is
the climate disruption is making extreme heat events more frequent, more
intense and longer in duration.
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Heat wave broils Western Washington, shattering Seattle and regional temperature
records on June 28, 2021.
July 2021
C. McNerthey
On June 28, 2021, the third day of a withering heat wave in the Pacific
Northwest, the temperature in Seattle soars to 108 degrees, an all-time
record. The 108-degree mark is the city's highest temperature in the
151 years since detailed recordkeeping began on February 16, 1870.
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Portland records all-time high temperature of 116, setting new record for
third day in a row.
June 2021
Oregon Live – The Oregonian
Portland has set a new all-time high temperature record of 113 degrees
Fahrenheit for the third day in a row. This extreme heat has caused multiple
deaths and has forced businesses and public facilities to close. Because
of this, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for
western Oregon and southwest Washington.
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June 2021 Extreme Heat Event. Preliminary Findings and Action Steps.
2021
Multnoma County
Multnomah County has long tracked and recognized that the region’s
summers are growing hotter and drier due to climate change, and recognized
the impact that these stressors would have on vulnerable communities.
They used that information to as planning and policy efforts. But the
shocking temperature swing that began June 25 arrived years earlier than
expected, a crisis within multiple crises.
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Final Report: Health Impacts from Excessive Heat Events in Multnomah County,
Oregon, 2021.
June 2022
Multnoma County
Since 2016 the Multnomah County Health Department has tracked emergency
room visits and fatalities related to extreme heat. This report provides
a final accounting of deaths and emergency department visits resulting
from heat during the summer of 2021.
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2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave ‘virtually impossible’ without
global warming, scientists find.
November 2021
Yale Climate Connections
In June 2021, a record-breaking heat wave scorched the Pacific Northwest.
High temperatures in Portland are usually in the seventies at that time
of year. But in 2021, they reached more than 110 degrees. Hundreds of
people died across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. “Many
people do not realize that heat waves are actually one of the deadliest
natural hazards,” says Sjoukje Philip of the Royal Dutch Meteorological
Institute.
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