Extreme, early heat wave is hitting the West Coast

Sarah Gambles
·2 min read
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The sun sets over the University District in Seattle, Saturday, May 13, 2023, as seen from 520 Bridge View Park in Medina, Wash. Saturday’s temperatures reached record-breaking highs for several cities across western Washington, with a heat advisory in effect until Monday evening.
The sun sets over the University District in Seattle, Saturday, May 13, 2023, as seen from 520 Bridge View Park in Medina, Wash. Saturday’s temperatures reached record-breaking highs for several cities across western Washington, with a heat advisory in effect until Monday evening. | Lindsey Wasson, Associated Press

Record heat levels are hitting the U.S. West Coast, as well as western Canada this week. Around 12 million people across the West Coast are under heat advisories.

Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, “have already broken several daily record highs in a row,” The Washington Post reported.

The region is expected to get a slight break from the extreme heat starting Tuesday, but it’s predicted that another record heat wave could strike next week.

“At this point, there is still no real sign of a large-scale cool-down for the region,” per the Post.

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The Pacific Northwest isn’t the only place dealing with the heat — Fresno, California, for example, “is forecast to be approaching 100 degrees on Sunday, with high temperatures of 95 degrees to 100 degrees for at least the next five days,” according to ABC News.

Axios reported that the National Weather Service warned that “For many locations, daytime temperatures will reach 10-20 degrees above normal on both Monday and Tuesday.”

According to ABC News, “Extreme heat is the deadliest natural hazard in the U.S.”

Yosemite National Park announced on Twitter that several campgrounds would remain closed due to flooding concerns.

“The combination of extended hot weather and abundant snow means the Merced River may remain above flood stage for some time,” Yosemite National Park tweeted.

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