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2021 Summer Heatwaves: Difference between revisions
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→June Heat Dome in Portland (OERS 2021-1650)
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== June Heat Dome in Portland (OERS 2021-1650) == | == June Heat Dome in Portland (OERS 2021-1650) == | ||
[[File:VivekShandasSidewalk.jpg|alt=Hot times in Lents: Dr. Vivek Shandas gets a read of the sidewalk.|thumb|''Hot times in Lents: Dr. Vivek Shandas gets a read of the sidewalk.<ref>Nesseth, C. (2021, July 14). ''SCORCHED: Shandas shows a thermal picture of the hottest intersection in Portland.'' Willamette Week. https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/07/14/this-is-the-hottest-place-in-portland/</ref>'']] | [[File:VivekShandasSidewalk.jpg|alt=Hot times in Lents: Dr. Vivek Shandas gets a read of the sidewalk.|thumb|''Hot times in Lents: Dr. Vivek Shandas gets a read of the sidewalk.<ref>Nesseth, C. (2021, July 14). ''SCORCHED: Shandas shows a thermal picture of the hottest intersection in Portland.'' Willamette Week. https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/07/14/this-is-the-hottest-place-in-portland/</ref>''|450x450px]] | ||
From June 25 to 29, a heat dome parked itself over the Portland metropolitan area and obliterated temperature records all over the Pacific Northwest. Portland experienced three consecutive days of abnormally high heat reaching 108, 112, and 116 degrees. [https://www.pdx.edu/profile/vivek-shandas Dr. Vivek Shandas] with Portland State University recorded a sidewalk surface temperature at SE Woodstock and 92nd Avenue that hit 180 degrees, high enough for third degree burns at direct skin contact.<ref>Peel, Sophie. “This Is the Hottest Place in Portland.” Willamette Week, https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/07/14/this-is-the-hottest-place-in-portland/. </ref> | From June 25 to 29, a heat dome parked itself over the Portland metropolitan area and obliterated temperature records all over the Pacific Northwest. Portland experienced three consecutive days of abnormally high heat reaching 108, 112, and 116 degrees. [https://www.pdx.edu/profile/vivek-shandas Dr. Vivek Shandas] with Portland State University recorded a sidewalk surface temperature at SE Woodstock and 92nd Avenue that hit 180 degrees, high enough for third degree burns at direct skin contact.<ref>Peel, Sophie. “This Is the Hottest Place in Portland.” Willamette Week, https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/07/14/this-is-the-hottest-place-in-portland/. </ref> | ||
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Emergency managers in the region mobilized for heatwave preparations only three days before June 25. Since more preparation lead time can improve response capacity, it is worth noting factors that possibly contributed to curtailed lead time in June: | Emergency managers in the region mobilized for heatwave preparations only three days before June 25. Since more preparation lead time can improve response capacity, it is worth noting factors that possibly contributed to curtailed lead time in June: | ||
* '''Regional response inexperience with temperature extremes at this level.''' For example, at the time, PBEM did not have Operational Guidelines in place for an event like the June heat dome.[[File:HeatHistory.jpg|alt=Timeline/history of temperatures in Portland 1938-2021|thumb|''Daily maximum temperatures in Portland, 1938 - 2021. The three isolated points above the fray represent June 26 - 28, 2021. Click to enlarge.''<ref>Data: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Oregon Live; Graphic by Cedric Scherer.</ref>| | * '''Regional response inexperience with temperature extremes at this level.''' For example, at the time, PBEM did not have Operational Guidelines in place for an event like the June heat dome.[[File:HeatHistory.jpg|alt=Timeline/history of temperatures in Portland 1938-2021|thumb|''Daily maximum temperatures in Portland, 1938 - 2021. The three isolated points above the fray represent June 26 - 28, 2021. Click to enlarge.''<ref>Data: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Oregon Live; Graphic by Cedric Scherer.</ref>|450x450px]] | ||
* '''Conservative weather forecasts leading up to the heat event.''' A June 21 NWS weather briefing indicated a high confidence forecast of temperatures above 90° starting June 25 with a 50% chance of temperatures hitting 100° that weekend. Concerning, but not highly alarming. Email traffic at PBEM confirms professionals in the region took the prospective heat seriously and worked to plan for it; but until June 22, some doubts remained Portland would reach temperatures over 100° that weekend. Solid indications from NWS that temperatures would exceed 100° on Sunday and Monday in addition to Friday and Saturday do not appear in email traffic until the morning of June 23. Even on the days that followed, the forecasted hottest day and temperatures changed. | * '''Conservative weather forecasts leading up to the heat event.''' A June 21 NWS weather briefing indicated a high confidence forecast of temperatures above 90° starting June 25 with a 50% chance of temperatures hitting 100° that weekend. Concerning, but not highly alarming. Email traffic at PBEM confirms professionals in the region took the prospective heat seriously and worked to plan for it; but until June 22, some doubts remained Portland would reach temperatures over 100° that weekend. Solid indications from NWS that temperatures would exceed 100° on Sunday and Monday in addition to Friday and Saturday do not appear in email traffic until the morning of June 23. Even on the days that followed, the forecasted hottest day and temperatures changed. | ||
* '''A community safety net already stretched and frayed by COVID-19.''' The pandemic has led to increased social isolation (a factor in heat illness deaths) and houselessness. | * '''A community safety net already stretched and frayed by COVID-19.''' The pandemic has led to increased social isolation (a factor in heat illness deaths) and houselessness. | ||
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Is this information ''useful''? Probable answer is: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. But it is interesting! If nothing else, the graph demonstrates the importance of the first flush of communications for recruitments, since that is the communication which will garner the most volunteers. | Is this information ''useful''? Probable answer is: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. But it is interesting! If nothing else, the graph demonstrates the importance of the first flush of communications for recruitments, since that is the communication which will garner the most volunteers. | ||
[[File:EngageGraph.png|alt=Line graph demonstrating date/time volunteers signed up for shifts.|thumb|''Line graph demonstrating date/time volunteers signed up for shifts. The numbers in magenta correspond to the magenta numbers in the table to the left, indicating when PBEM or Multnomah County sent a recruitment communication (email or social media post).''|600x600px]] | [[File:EngageGraph.png|alt=Line graph demonstrating date/time volunteers signed up for shifts.|thumb|''Line graph demonstrating date/time volunteers signed up for shifts. The numbers in magenta correspond to the magenta numbers in the table to the left, indicating when PBEM or Multnomah County sent a recruitment communication (email or social media post).''|600x600px]] | ||
[[File:2021.006.29.Tweet.jpg|alt=Tweet from Multnomah County on June 29, 2021 acknowledging Portland NETs (this was not a recruitment message).|thumb| | [[File:2021.006.29.Tweet.jpg|alt=Tweet from Multnomah County on June 29, 2021 acknowledging Portland NETs (this was not a recruitment message).|thumb|450x450px|''Tweet from Multnomah County on June 29, 2021 acknowledging Portland NETs (this was not a recruitment message).'']] | ||
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