Currently in Portland — July 12, 2023: One more day of lovely clouds

The weather, currently.

High temps continue to creep upwards, and Wednesday will reach a high of about 80—but it’ll take its sweet time getting there. Like Monday and Tuesday morning, Wednesday morning will be cloudy and downright cool. I expect to be reaching for a sweater once again until my coffee and the increasingly warm sun make me toasty inside and out.

Planning for my garden herb spiral continues, and one of the fun things about it is that the design allows you to create a series of microclimates all within about a 6’ space. It’s a great learning opportunity for beginners and seasoned garden nerds, and it’s got me eyeballing a spot in my garden several times a day to get a feel for how much sunshine it’s getting.

— Stella Harris

What you can do, currently.

The climate emergency doesn’t take the summer off. In fact — as we’ve been reporting — we’re heading into an El Niño that could challenge historical records and is already supercharging weather and climate impacts around the world.

When people understand the weather they are experiencing is caused by climate change it creates a more compelling call to action to do something about it.

If these emails mean something important to you — and more importantly, if the idea of being part of a community that’s building a weather service for the climate emergency means something important to you — please chip in just $5 a month to continue making this service possible.

Thank you!!

What you need to know, currently.

Southern California will be the epicenter of one of the most intense heat waves ever recorded in the US Southwest this week.

Temperatures in Death Valley are expected to reach 130°F (54.4°C), challenging an all-time world record. The duration and intensity of this particular heat wave is also giving authorities caution, with the National Weather Service’s excessive heat outlook reaching ‘extreme’ for areas just inland of Los Angeles.

The heat wave comes courtesy of an especially strong high pressure system, which will act to dry out the atmosphere and cause additional heating due to descending air across the region. The name for this phenomenon is a heat dome, which can be self-reinforcing if it persists over the same region for a long enough period of time.

The California Department of Public Health has helpful information on how to stay cool — and safe — in this deadly heat.

—Eric Holthaus