Currently in Portland — July 24, 2023: Some beautiful clouds coming on Monday

The weather, currently.

If our weekend temps in the high-80s didn’t feel much different from recent temps in the low-to-mid-90s, you’re not alone. But good news, we’re about to get a propper break from the heat. Monday’s high temp will only reach about 75—and even better—we’ll be getting clouds and even a few showers (depending where you are in the Portland area.)

The rest of the week will warm up but won’t be quite as scortching. Personally, I’m looking forward to Monday’s cool temps to finish up some overly ambitious garden projects without risking heat stroke! I foolishly planted some wildflower seeds during our heatwave but I don’t think I could keep them moist enough to germinate. So this week should be the perfect weather for trying again, plus getting a few other plants in the ground and finishing the herb spiral!

— 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.

Typhoon Doksuri has rapidly strengthened over the weekend and is now approaching the Philippines with a chance at becoming a super typhoon.

Doksuri’s track has been shifting slightly south over the past day or so, increasing the threat to the northern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and diminishing the threat somewhat for Taiwan. However, if Doksuri makes landfall in Taiwan, it will be the island’s first typhoon in six years — a long streak for one of the most typhoon-prone places in the world.

Super typhoons have sustained wind speeds of at least 150 mph (241 kph) and are by far the most damaging type of typhoons. (A typhoon, hurricane, and tropical cyclone are all different regional words for the same thing.) Back in May, Super Typhoon Mawar, the 2023 season’s first super typhoon, became one of the strongest typhoons ever to strike the island of Guam.

—Eric Holthaus