Currently in Portland — August 4, 2023: Temps still climbing

The weather, currently.

Woke up to some unexpected cloud cover on Thursday morning, which was a nice treat. We’ll see a few more clouds on Friday and through the weekend, although they won’t do much to keep us cool. Temps will still reach the low 90s for a few days, before returning to the slightly more reasonable 80s.

We’re not likely to see rain for a while, though areas surrounding Portland may see some thunderstorms—which are bringing increased fire risk while everything is so hot and dry.

Speaking of dry, I’m now up to seven water sources in my yard for the various bugs and birds to enjoy, and I’m still trying to find the right balance. The crows make a big mess when they take a bath, and also won’t stand for any mossy sticks or rocks in their baths (placed there to give bugs an escape route.) And unfortunately, birds and bugs don’t follow signs explaining which water is for who.

If you don’t have any water out for critters yet, it’s never too late to start. And chilled bottles of water are also a nice offering for delivery folks, especially during these extra hot days. (Did you know a lot of those trucks aren’t air-conditioned?)

— Stella Harris

What you need to know, currently.

Government officials in Iran suddenly declared a nationwide holiday due to ‘unprecedented heat’ this week, an alarming development in this record-breaking warm year.

Shops, government offices, banks, and schools have been closed across Iran since Wednesday, and reports say the nationwide shutdown could be extended further. One report calls it the first-ever nationwide shutdown due to heat in world history. On Tuesday, the heat index at Persian Gulf International Airport in southern Iran reached 149°F (65.0°C).

A new daily record in electricity consumption during last month’s heatwave in Iran have prompted some inside Iran to speculate that the shutdown is more likely due to a shortage of hydropower generating capacity, perhaps due to government mismanagement of water resources.

Power outages were frequent during last year’s nationwide protests, but this year — despite higher temperatures — electricity has been more reliable, meaning that government water managers may have drawn down reservoirs beyond critical levels in an attempt to prevent public outrage under the new president Ebrahim Raisi.

Power consumption has also hit record highs in recent weeks in Egypt, and power outages are occurring in Iraq and Lebanon.

—Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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