Northwest US braces for hottest day of intense heat wave

SEATTLE (AP) — The hottest day of an unprecedented and dangerous heat wave scorched the Pacific Northwest on Monday, with temperatures expected to obliterate records that had been set just the day before.

Seattle was predicted to hit up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) — well above Sunday's all-time high of 104 F (40 C). Portland, Oregon, could reach 115 F (46 C) after hitting new records of 108 F (42.2 C) on Saturday and 112 F (44.4 C) on Sunday.

The temperatures were unheard of in a region better known for rain, and where June has historically been referred to as “Juneuary” for its cool drizzle. Seattle's average high temperature in June is around 70 F (21.1 C), and fewer than half of the city's residents have air conditioning, according to U.S. Census data.

The heat forced schools and businesses to close to protect workers and guests, including some places like outdoor pools and ice cream shops where people seek relief from the heat.

In closing one public pool, Seattle's parks department warned that “swimmers will burn their feet" on the deck.

“We unfortunately are unable to open up shop today due to the extreme heat,” Cloud City Ice Cream, in Portland, posted on its Facebook page over the weekend. “Temperatures are too high for our employees and equipment to operate safely.”

The heat wave was caused by what meteorologists described as a dome of high pressure over the Northwest and worsened by human-caused climate change, which is making such extreme weather events more likely and more intense.

The blistering heat exposed a region with infrastructure not designed for it, hinting at the greater costs of climate change to come.

In Portland, light rail and street car service was suspended as power cables melted and as the heat strained the power grid.

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