Hot and dry

Hot weather. Photo courtesy Vermont Dept of Health

By Sarah Phillips

Hot and Dry.

That describes our weather this month and last. Extreme heat is more than three days over 90 degrees. SeaTac was 90 degrees on Sunday and hot weather is on its way.

Heat is a problem for many people. Heat rash is a minor nuisance, but heat stroke and cardiovascular incidents are life-threatening. 

Babies under 2 can be at risk because they sweat less. People with underlying health conditions like heart and lung conditions and obesity are at higher risk. 

Everyone needs to take care of themselves: remember to drink more fluids, don’t overexert, stay inside during the hottest times of the day (if you can), and wear sunscreen.

Do you know the places where you can go to cool off, especially public spaces with air conditioning (AC)? 

Generally, you can cool off in shopping centers, senior centers, movie theaters, and libraries. 

Locally, Third Place Commons and the library have AC, and the Y in Shoreline is an official cooling location where people are welcome to go in specifically to sit and cool off.

Climate change is here. It is going to be hotter. 

The Yale Climate Connections reported on July 10 that “June 2025 was Earth’s third-warmest June in analyses of global weather data going back to 1850” (NOAA Center for Environmental information).

Heat stress doesn’t just affect people and pets- heat also stresses our infrastructure. 

Hotter air is less dense, which affects aircraft performance and can lead to delayed or cancelled flights. 

Roadways that are not designed for excessive heat can melt, crack, or buckle. When roads crack, the resulting surface weaknesses can lead to potholes.

When it is hot, the demand for electricity used for cooling increases but the efficiency of power generation and transmission decreases, which can lead to brownouts, rolling blackouts, and even widespread outages.

Every city needs to plan for a hotter future. 

In many cities the climate manager helps residents prepare for heat by identifying financial resources for homeowners and businesses to shift to efficient energy sources. 

The climate manager coordinates with other agencies to make sure planning and purchasing decisions reflect the changes in climate. The climate manager also works to ensure that our community has adequate cooling locations so that residents can safely shelter from heat risks.

Extreme heat is one of the climate risks identified in the Lake Forest Park draft climate element that is being circulated for comment until August 11, 2025. 

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