Bellingham is forecast to be 100 degrees on Monday. Remember these places to cool off
Bellingham and Whatcom County agencies are gearing up for the expected extreme heat this weekend by offering people without air conditioning places to cool off.
City and county emergency medical officials will be on alert all weekend and early next week, monitoring vulnerable populations as well as crowded parks and swimming areas, according to a news release from Bellingham Friday afternoon, June 25.
The high temperature was 85 degrees about 5 p.m. Friday at Bellingham International Airport. The hottest day ever recorded by the National Weather Service at Bellingham International Airport was on July 29, 2009, when it reached 96 degrees
Temperatures in Washington and Oregon are expected to top out up to 30 degrees above normal during the historic heat wave, according to the Associated Press.
“If you’re keeping a written list of the records that will fall, you might need a few pages by early next week,” NWS Seattle tweeted.
The extreme and dangerous heat was expected to break all-time records in cities and towns from eastern Washington state to southern Oregon as concerns mounted about wildfire risk in a region that’s already experiencing a crippling and extended drought.
Whatcom forecast
Whatcom County may set heat records beginning Saturday, June 26, according to the county’s Division of Emergency Management. Sunday and Monday, June 27-28, are now forecast by the National Weather Service to be in the high 90s-100s.
Little relief is expected during the night hours as lows will remain high. Temperatures will remain above average in the extended forecast, through July 4.
“The hottest temperatures remain from Everson up the Sumas Valley where current models put temperatures up over 100 on Sunday and Monday,” John Gargett wrote in the county’s update. He’s the deputy director of the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Division of Emergency Management.
Temperatures in the Bellingham area are now forecast by the National Weather Service to reach 100 on Monday. Whatcom County’s coastal areas will be slightly cooler, with highs in the high 80s to low 90s.
Puget Sound Energy still believes their system load capability is looking good, Gargett wrote.
To help save energy, Puget Sound Energy recommends setting air conditioning no lower than 75 degrees, use fans to help circulate the air, close window blinds and curtains to block direct sunlight and run appliances at night.
Changing weather patterns
The extended “heat dome” was a taste of the future for the Pacific Northwest as climate change reshapes weather patterns worldwide, Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington who studies global warming and its effects on public health told the AP.
“We know from evidence around the world that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves. We’re going to have to get used to this going forward. Temperatures are going up and extreme temperatures are going up even faster,” she said.
“I tell my students when they get to be as old as I am, they’re going to look back and think about how nice the summers used to be.”
The heat is also worrisome for the region because warm air sucks moisture out of the soil and vegetation more efficiently than cooler air and that makes everything more prone to fire, she said.
Exceptionally high temperatures, during both day and night, will pose a dangerous threat of heat-related illness, according to the National Weather Service, the Washington Post reported.
Record-breaking heat
Weather Service forecast offices in Seattle and Portland have also used the word unprecedented to describe the heat that is forecast to break scores of long-standing records. More than 13 million residents from northern California through much of Oregon, Washington state and Idaho are under excessive heat warnings, starting Saturday and lasting into next week, the Post reported.
Washington, Oregon and Idaho could all experience their hottest June weather on record, according to the National Weather Service, seeing temperatures of at least 113 or 114 degrees. As heat surges north of the border, British Columbia and Alberta are also predicted to experience record-setting heat and Canada’s highest temperature observed of 113 degrees may fall, the Post reported.
“Even though we’ve had heat waves in June, they haven’t been nearly as strong as this one is forecast to be,” said Larry O’Neill, Oregon’s State Climatologist and a professor at Oregon State University told the Post. “Other past exceptional heat waves that we’ve had in the Pacific Northwest – they’ve all occurred after mid-July.”
Keeping cool in Whatcom
According to 2019 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the AP reported Seattle has the lowest rate of air-conditioned homes of any major American city. Only 44% of the homes in the metro area have air conditioning. In the Portland metro area that figure was 79%
The state announced that it is lifting COVID-19 restrictions regarding reduced capacity at publicly owned buildings.
For Whatcom County residents looking for public air-conditioned buildings, Bellingham officials shared these options:
▪ The Bellingham High School cafeteria at 2020 Cornwall Ave. will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday, offering air-conditioned indoor space and water.
▪ Whatcom Transportation Authority buildings: The downtown Bellingham station will have air conditioning, bottled water and indoor water fountains. The bottled water is available 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
At the Cordata station, bottled water is available 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The bus is fare-free until Thursday, July 1, and can be used to reach cooling stations and other community resources.
▪ Libraries: The Bellingham Public Library at 210 Central Ave. does not have air conditioning, but will be offering water 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Monday.
Air-conditioned indoor spaces are available at all Whatcom County Library system location locations during open hours. In addition, bottled water will be available at the branches in Deming, North Fork (Kendall), Sumas, Everson and Lynden during open hours through Monday. See locations and hours at wcls.org/info.
▪ In addition to local government efforts, Lighthouse Mission Ministries will have water, sunscreen, covered outdoor areas and air-conditioned indoor areas available to anyone at its Base Camp shelter, 1530 Cornwall Ave.
Stay healthy in the heat
The Whatcom Division of Emergency Management also recommends this advice for staying cool:
▪ Drink plenty of water, even before you feel thirsty, and stay in a cool place.
▪ Check on older family, friends and neighbors. Make sure they are cool and drinking water.
▪ Never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle.
▪ Watch for the symptoms of heat illness: dizziness/fainting; nausea/vomiting; rapid breathing and heartbeat; extreme thirst; decreased urination with unusually dark urine.
▪ Outdoor workers should take regularly scheduled breaks in a cool place.
▪ Limit your outdoor activity. Complete tasks outside early or late in the day to avoid the hottest part of the day.
▪ Pace your activity. Start activities slow and pick up the pace gradually.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 5:48 PM.
