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The earth is warming up every passing year in an unprecedented way. The sizzling temperatures in the past few weeks in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada and Western United States have scientists baffled. The climate reality that was thought still decades in future has herald into 2021 causing suffering to both humans and marine life alike.

“This week’s sizzling temperatures may herald a climate reality that scientists thought was still decades in the future,” reports NBC News

The heat wave broiled the U.S. West Coast soon after the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada experienced record breaking high temperatures.

The setup for this event was different from what unfolded in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada June 29 to July 2, when countless temperature records were smashed, with Portland, Oregon, hitting an all-time high of 116 degrees and the small town of Lytton in British Columbia setting Canada’s heat record at just over 121.

In the Pacific Northwest heat wave, the high pressure was centered over Oregon and Washington state, an unusual scenario that triggered anomalously high temperatures in a region where most homes and businesses don’t have air conditioning systems.

But the situation was different in the U.S. West coast. The dome of pressure was over the Four Corners region, where the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona, and northwestern corner of New Mexico all touch, according to the National Weather Service. 

Today, our guest writer recounts her experience surviving the heat wave with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Japjeet was aware of the outlandish heat wave that was going to engulf her neighborhood. But it turned out to be much severe than what was expected.

“The predictions seemed completely outlandish,” said O’Neill, an associate professor at Oregon State University. “They were so crazy insane that professional forecasters and people like myself thought something must be wrong with the models.”

As it turned out, the forecasts were right.

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Surviving the calamitous heat wave

By Japjeet Dugal

In the last couple of weeks, the Northwest Pacific of North America faced one of the most unprecedented weathers in the last 150 years. The infamous heat wave took even us Indians, used to the harsh weather, by great surprise. 

For our bodies, now so dependent on air conditioning, and other luxuries, the heat wave was a reminder that nature is supreme. We may be the smartest species of all, but we cannot outsmart nature.

The few days of heatwave made us appreciate the smallest of things, the minimal cool breeze, evening shade, waking up and sleeping with the sun, enjoying the cool grass in the yard. Our typical day started with waking up as early in the morning as possible and closing all the doors and windows before the atmosphere started to heat up. Bathing and getting ready for the day.

Thinking of meal ideas involving minimum use of appliances so as to not increase the temperature inside the house. While all the stores were out of stock for fans, air-conditioners, or even portable pool for keeping kids cools, we thought of innovative ideas to keep us cool with bowls of ice in front of the fans, taking cool baths, soaking feet in the cold water, covering windows with dark sheets.

Our neighbors filled up a small pool with cold water for their puppy and would spend their evening sitting with their feet soaked in it while the puppy played. Another neighbor went and stayed with their family they had not spent enough time with, since they had an air-conditioner.

Evenings were most fun when the sun was about to set, all the neighbors would come outside for some fresh air and walks. Reconnecting with each other, enjoying the relatively cool breeze and shade. Chatting away for hours together because everyone was stuck inside their homes all day long.

It felt like nature’s way of telling us that you need to talk to each other, make new friends, enjoy the outdoors and be with nature. And we followed. All of us.

Japjeet Duggal is a mother who lives with her husband and daughter in Washington State. She shares her heartwarming and sweet nature stories with us each month. You can follow Japjeet on instagram @japjeetduggal.

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