- Title: Seattle residents worry scorching heatwaves are the 'new normal'
- Date: 1st July 2021
- Summary: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES (JUNE 30, 2021) (REUTERS) SEATTLE SKYLINE VARIOUS OF SPACE NEEDLE PEOPLE WALKING NEXT TO WATER KAYAKERS IN WATER (SOUNDBITE) (English) KRISTIE EBI, PROFESSOR IN THE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE, AND EXPERT IN THE HEALTH RISKS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYING: "We know with climate change, our weather patterns are going to continue to change. We're in a period where we're just going to constantly see, over time, increases in our average temperature and increases in our extremes. The heatwaves will be longer. They'll be more intense. They'll be more frequent. It doesn't mean that all heatwaves will be as extreme as this one, but we will be seeing more heatwaves." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE ICE CREAM STORE 'SALT AND STRAW' (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLAIRE GAJARY, HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER, SAYING: "I hope it's not a new normal. It's so extreme and I'm hoping that it's just kind of a one-off. I know that they say it might be global warming and that is worrisome. But I'm not too worried because it hasn't really happened like this before." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAROL WALKER, BUSINESS MANAGER AT MICROSOFT, SAYING: "Unfortunately, I think it is a new normal. I'm worried that it's going to happen again because it's only June now and I am worried it's going to happen again. And I'm also worried about the smoke because that's probably going to happen again as well." (SOUNDBITE) (English) HANDLY EUGENE, WORKS IN MOTION GRAPHICS IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND IS VISITING SEATTLE FOR A WEDDING, SAYING: "You know, it's kind of crazy. I was here about three years ago during the winter, and that was during 'snowpocalypse', I believe they called it when Seattle shut down for a few weeks and it was snowing. So I was up here literally kind of visiting and a friend of mine told me I always bring bad weather, but I'm thinking that you know, this is like a trend attributed to global warming, probably. And I'm sure, like, a decade from now, maybe a century from now, if we don't change things, it's going to be unfortunate for humanity. So I'm thinking it's global warming." PEOPLE OUTSIDE ICE CREAM STORE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KRISTIE EBI, PROFESSOR IN THE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE, AND EXPERT IN THE HEALTH RISKS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYING: "Most people don't think about heat as a killer. And it is and we know that the numbers are fairly high. Estimates of the number of excess heat-related deaths in counties that cover just 62 percent of our population suggest that five and a half thousand Americans die every year from heat. Certainly, in the event we've seen, we're going to see excess deaths a lot more than we should have because all of those deaths could have been prevented. So we have to raise that awareness." (SOUNDBITE) (English) KRISTIE EBI, PROFESSOR IN THE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE, AND EXPERT IN THE HEALTH RISKS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYING: "I hope that the heatwave helps encourage more people. We know from surveys of the American public that most of the American public is concerned about climate change. Most of the American public thinks that the U.S. should be doing something about climate change. So there's a pretty high awareness in the U.S. in the general population that action needs to be taken. That understanding, of course, needs to be matched by both our individual actions and what we do and by our collective action through our political leaders." BOAT PADDLEBOARDER
- Embargoed: 15th July 2021 21:44
- Keywords: Seattle Washington climate change expert heatwave new normal record-breaking temperatures
- Location: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
- City: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Environment,United States,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA001EK0E81Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Seattle residents finally got some relief from a record-breaking heatwave on Wednesday (June 30) as temperatures fell and cooler breezes blew in from the Pacific Ocean. But one climate change expert predicted longer and more frequent heatwaves in the area in the future.
"We know with climate change, our weather patterns are going to continue to change. We're in a period where we're just going to constantly see, over time, increases in our average temperature and increases in our extremes. The heatwaves will be longer. They'll be more intense. They'll be more frequent. It doesn't mean that all heatwaves will be as extreme as this one, but we will be seeing more heatwaves," said Kristie Ebi, an expert in the health risks of climate change at the University of Washington.
Even though the heat has dissipated, there are lingering concerns among Seattle residents that this may be the new normal for the Pacific Northwest city better known for gray and rainy weather.
"Unfortunately, I think it is a new normal. I'm worried that it's going to happen again because it's only June now and I am worried it's going to happen again," said Carol Walker, a Microsoft business manager.
"I hope it's not a new normal. It's so extreme and I'm hoping that it's just kind of a one-off. I know that they say it might be global warming and that is worrisome. But I'm not too worried because it hasn't really happened like this before," said high school math teacher Claire Gajary.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport set an all-time high temperature on Monday (June 28) of 106 Fahrenheit, breaking the record set one day earlier.
The heat has been attributed to a dome of atmospheric high pressure over the upper U.S. Northwest and Canada, similar to conditions that punished California and southwestern states earlier this month.
Ebi hopes the heatwave might encourage people to take global warming seriously.
"Most of the American public thinks that the U.S. should be doing something about climate change. So there's a pretty high awareness in the U.S. in the general population that action needs to be taken. That understanding, of course, needs to be matched by both our individual actions and what we do and by our collective action through our political leaders," she said.
The Seattle Times reported at least two people died from exposure to the heat during Monday's record temperatures in King County. The cause of their deaths was hyperthermia, meaning their bodies had become dangerously overheated, it added.
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