Josie Taylor | June 29, 2021

A heat wave is crossing the Pacific Northwest, and is breaking previous temperature records. Portland, OR reached 112ºF on Sunday. Previously the record was 108ºF in 1981. 

Dustin Guy, a meteorologist in Seattle, WA said he has never seen anything like this. He states that in the past 126 years, Seattle has only had three days of 100+ degree weather. Now they are getting up to 110ºF, and staying high for days at a time. 

Since temperatures like this are so rare, many residents in the northwest are not prepared. Many homes lack air conditioning, making these types of temperatures dangerous. People will likely get heat exhaustion. 

This unprecedented heat is likely due to climate change. In the last 100 years, the average temperature in the northwest has risen by 2ºF. California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana all set heat records this year as well.