View Full Version : Massive heat wave coming
For Oregon, Washington, Calif and Idaho.
This will be interesting. Potentially record heat coming, very dry air. This will likely trigger lots of fires. Not to mention its effect on PCT water sources. Might last 2 weeks. This is going to impact a lot of hikers. 90's in the mountains and 100's in the valleys. Ouch.
"A brutal heat wave kicking in later this week may shatter June or even a few all-time records in parts of the Great Basin and Northwest. Furthermore, it may last into the first days of July.June has already been a hot month in parts of the West.
Earlier in the month, Yakima, Washington, tied its all-time June high of 105 degrees. This occurred 15 days earlier on the calendar than the previous June 105-degree high. Medford, Oregon, is pacing for their hottest June on record, dating to 1911 (https://twitter.com/NWSMedford/status/613065987156525057). Portland, Oregon, has already tallied 4 days of 90-degree-plus heat this month through Monday, just 2 days shy of the June record set in 2003..........."
http://www.weather.com/forecast/regional/news/record-west-heat-wave-northwest-great-basin-latejun2015
SCRUB HIKER
06-24-2015, 03:26
My dad picked me up at US 50 / Echo Lake on the 4th of July, 2013 during a heat wave and we drove down to the Bay Area (against the traffic jams heading up to Tahoe ... cars at a standstill on the highway at the trailhead, 12 miles outside of the town of South Lake Tahoe ... but that's another story). This was the temperature the rental car showed in Stockton.
31087
112F. Even then, I don't recall it feeling hot in the mountains; it was probably in the 80s, and dry, at elevation around Tahoe on the same day. In Northern California, where early thru-hikers might very well be by early July, though, I think the heat would be much more of a challenge. Chester, Belden, Old Station ... that was the hottest week on the trail for me and it wasn't even during a heat wave. Everyone out there now is in for a test but it's not like it's the end of the world.
Seiad Valley will be unlivable. This time last year I was in Belden.
The Solemates
06-24-2015, 09:57
110 index here today, 85% humidity.
I've spent plenty of time in the west's dry 100 degree weather with 30% humidity. it aint nothin :)
I looked up the weather forecast for Chester, Belden, Old Station, Lassen, Castella for the next week and the highs are going to run from 100-105 (Seiad 108 tomorrow). Even up high it is going to be in the 90's in many places. Going to have a big impact on the hikers. After two weeks of these temps, as are forecasted, folks are going to be struggling a bit and many of the water sources are going to be dry.
rocketsocks
06-24-2015, 15:46
the jet stream is so far north the whole country is in ice tea mode.
Yeah, we are down to only 86 today and it feels like fall...it's been melting your shoes on the pavement kind of weather here lately. Yesterday we hit 101 with a heat index of 113. It's not even the hot part of the summer yet!
Traveler
06-24-2015, 17:51
Its been triple digits in AL most of the week, with heavy humidity attached to that, I think I know what hell feels like and its probably a little cooler.
The heat has been ugly and it is going to last a lot longer.
"...June record highs have been broken in at least 31 cities in the Northwest, five of which appear to have tied or broken their all-time record highs. The extreme heat is likely to last into next week and may end up breaking records for longevity as well...."
http://www.desdemonadespair.net/2015/06/heat-wave-in-us-west-shatters-at-least.html
Feral Bill
06-30-2015, 20:30
I'll be walking several miles on pavement tomorrow for work. Beats the office.
MuddyWaters
06-30-2015, 20:31
110 index here today, 85% humidity.
I've spent plenty of time in the west's dry 100 degree weather with 30% humidity. it aint nothin :)
My daughter played a softball showcase one summer in denver a few yrs back, it was 108.
No one complained. Kansas hit up to 115 that week.
Low humidity makes all the difference.
Its interesting when air temp tops 100, because wind makes you hot, not cooler.
I hiked up there at the beginning of the heat wave. It wasn't bad and the water sources were fine. The water sources will survive the heat wave just fine and so will the hikers.
No, hikers are already quitting.
SCRUB HIKER
07-01-2015, 14:05
No, hikers are already quitting.
Useful post. I think I can translate: "I heard a guy quit somewhere in NorCal and was complaining about the heat."
Hikers quit all the time, everywhere, on every trail.
No, hikers are already quitting.
They aren't quitting from the heat they are quitting from a pulled Heartlidge.
Sasquatch!
07-02-2015, 03:18
Its getting up in the 90's at the highest points on the PCT in WA. Thats insane.
I have read a couple of PCT journals this week in which the hikers stated they were heading into town due to the heat so it is having an effect as one would expect. Having hiked in intense heat both in the past and all the time here in AZ where I live now it is not a trivial issue. I have experienced days where my water consumption was 9-10 liters and I headed into town once and took a nero because of excess heat. If the water sources are not too far apart this is not that big of an issue except for making sure you keep your electrolytes in balance (if you don't you're in big trouble). But if conditions are such that I would need to start a carry to the next water source with 10 liters to be safe in the heat I just might take a zero.
A manageable situation for the regular thru hiker, but put yourself in the place of someone like Joey Camps who is trying a FKT and is in the middle of this heat wave. He has to keep going and has mentioned running out of water once already and suffering for it. And then there is the effect of the excess heat on your feet. He has ended up with deep blisters forming under his callus's after 1800 miles of trail. Pretty tough.
Well I just finished reading a journal that stated a lot of hikers are quitting the PCT entirely due to the heat. This person is at about mile 1350 and mentioned temps of 106.
Feral Bill
07-02-2015, 21:14
Sometimes you have to let your better judgement raise up it's ugly head. Better a wimp than a corpse.