MultCo health officials warn first heat advisory could be extra dangerous. Here's why
The from Sunday through Monday with temperatures reaching 92 to 96 degrees throughout the Willamette Valley, SW Washington, the Columbia River Gorge, and the Hood River Valley.
Brendon Haggerty with the Multnomah County Health Department said the county pays close attention to the first hot weekend of the year. He said it poses a threat to everyone, not just vulnerable populations, because our bodies are not acclimated to the heat yet.
Oregon lawmakers hold hearing on Medicaid cuts under Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
'We're not used to the heat, and that makes us more prone to getting ill from the heat, having heat exhaustion or heat stroke,' he said. 'It's also a time when people might seek relief in our rivers. But this early in the season, they're still running really fast and really cold. So it can be a dangerous time to go swimming.'
He said people are also vulnerable when there is a big temperature swing, like this weekend.
'All of us have some sensitivity to it because none of our bodies have acclimated to this heat yet,' Haggerty said. 'So the important thing is to realize is that each of us needs to take some protective action, to make sure we don't get sick from the heat.'
Haggerty said we are coming off the hottest summer in North America ever, and we need to prepare for even more hot summers. He said the best way to do that is to make a plan.
'Whether that's, you know, going to a neighbor's who has air conditioning or going out to a movie, checking on a loved one,' he said. 'Those are all really important things. Making sure that your home is a safe place to be in the heat is a good idea. And if if you can't make that happen, make a different plan for where to be when it's hot.'
The county is taking the first dose of summer heat as a chance to prepare. Officials hopped on a situational awareness call today— setting the table for the rest of the summer.
'Immediate threat to public safety': Longview cracks down on unsanctioned camping
'The county convenes all of the departments who are part of a response to that,' Haggerty said. 'We have a discussion with the weather service. Make sure we're all clear about what's in the forecast. And then go through a decision making process about what resources will be needed for the heat event.'
Haggerty said they are not planning on opening cooling centers this weekend, but today's call will help them prepare for extreme heat events later in the year. You can visit the county website to see what resources are currently available.
The National Weather Service also recommends staying hydrated, not leaving animals in vehicles, taking frequent breaks from the heat, checking on vulnerable community members, and avoiding cold shock by wearing life jackets in local rivers.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Inches of rain fell in a matter of hours, drowning the city's public spaces in brown water as commuters attempted to stay dry.
A mix of faulty infrastructure systems and heavy rain plunged New York City into chaos on Thursday, with commuters taking dramatic pains to avoid flooded streets, buildings, and subway stops in images and clips shared to social media. In one clip, commuters can be seen desperately clinging to security gates at the 7th Avenue subway stop in Brooklyn as others attempt to wade through the murky waters, reported NBC News. Another clip shows one man ingeniously using plastic bags as makeshift waterproof attire to walk through the flood while water still seeps into the station. In Grand Central, one of the busiest railway stations in the nation, rain could be seen pouring down from the ceiling onto the underground platforms. The dangerous flash flooding also caused issues for drivers trying to make it across roads and highways, with some vehicles becoming completely submerged. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Thursday across several of the state's counties due to the severe weather, with around three inches of rain falling in parts of the city. The National Weather Service forecasts the rain will have mostly stopped in the area by Friday evening.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
This summer has been unrelentingly hot. Humidity is making it feel worse.
Hot, sticky and unrelenting: That has been the experience for much of the country this summer, including more than a dozen states that had record high humidity in July. Last month was muggier than usual for the majority of the Lower 48. Parts of the Midwest, East Coast and mid-Atlantic regions, in particular, were intensely humid in July, according to preliminary data compiled by researchers at Oregon State University. Hot and humid conditions are to be expected in the summer, but heat index values — what conditions 'feel like' when humidity and air temperatures are combined — soared well into the triple digits for extended periods of time in places such as Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida last month. Cities such as Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Washington, D.C., all registered their most humid July in recorded history, according to figures compiled by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, which collects and tracks data on precipitation, soil temperature and other environmental conditions. New York City and Raleigh, North Carolina, had their second-most-humid July, while humidity in Detroit and Cincinnati reached their third-highest levels last month. In Paducah, Kentucky, a brutal stretch of high heat and humidity from July 16 to 30 set a slew of new records for the city. 'We have reached the end to the longest stretch of continuously high humidity that Paducah has witnessed in the past 75 years,' the local branch of the National Weather Service said Thursday in a post on X, adding that the number of hours at 'oppressive levels' of humidity exceeded 300% of the city's normal amount for the month of July. Humid days are expected to be more common as a result of climate change, because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. But beyond the discomfort of a sticky summer, soaring humidity levels pose serious threats to health and public safety. High heat index values increase the risk of heat-related illness and death, particularly among children, older adults and individuals with pre-existing health conditions. A 2022 study by the nonprofit organization Climate Central found that the combination of high heat and humidity can affect the body's ability to cool itself down through sweating. 'In many parts of the country and the globe, dangerous heat often occurs along with high humidity — and the pair of conditions multiplies the health risks,' the researchers wrote in their analysis. A warmer atmosphere can also spawn stronger storms that are capable of dumping huge amounts of rain over land, often causing dangerous flash flooding. So far this year, more than 3,000 flash flood warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service — the highest number on record, according to data from Iowa State University. Catastrophic flooding last month killed at least 120 people in central Texas' Hill Country region, while several rounds of storms inundated parts of New Mexico multiple times in the span of a few weeks in July. On Thursday, right at the end of the month, intense storms pummeled New York City and the surrounding tristate area, wreaking havoc during people's evening commute. This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tsunami Advisory canceled for Oregon Coast Wednesday morning
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Tsunami Advisory was removed for the Oregon and Washington coasts Wednesday morning after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia Tuesday night. Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service said that the Tsunami Advisory was no longer in effect. Emergency management officials say the largest waves were recorded at two feet off the Oregon Coast around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday. But while the coast is clear for a tsunami, officials say hazardous conditions could linger for several days — adding that even the strongest swimmers could struggle in the strong waters. 'There is still tsunami water that is hitting the coast, and those waves are stronger, and the currents are going to be a little different than they're used to, and there's also going to be a lot of debris in the water, so logs and other things like that,' Erin Zysett with OEM said. 'They can roll on you, you can get pinned, high tide comes in, and it can be very terrifying and very dangerous.' Old Farmer's Almanac reveals prediction for Pacific Northwest's fall season Tsunamis can also amplify the effects of sneaker waves, so you should never turn your back on the water. 'People should stay away from open coast beaches, estuary mouths, marinas, and harbors. Dangerous currents are possible even without significant wave activity,' officials with the Oregon Department of Geology and Minerals said in a statement. 'Do not go to the beach to watch the waves. Remain in a safe location away from the coast until the advisory is lifted.' Officials say the scare serves as a reminder for people to sign up for local alerts and familiarize themselves with the tsunami warning levels and nearby evacuation routes. Stay with KOIN 6 while we keep you up to date on this ongoing Tsunami Advisory. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
