HEAT WAVE: Notes from another record-setting afternoon

4:22 PM: This is it – the next couple hours should bring the peak of the heat, so if you are thinking about going to a cooling center or other air-conditioned venue/establishment, now’s the time to go. We’ve continued updating our list through the day; latest addition is the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) at 36th/Snoqualmie in The Triangle, open as a cooling center until 7 pm. Meanwhile, note that in addition to the heat, it’s a little hazy out there (air quality is “moderate”):

That’s the view from Upper Fauntleroy, looking toward north Vashon and beyond to Kitsap. As for the numbers … Sea-Tac hit 106 at 2:45 pm, says the National Weather Service, breaking the all-time record of 104, set just yesterday. So much for the old joke that summer starts in Seattle on July 5th … still a week away.

P.S. As we publish this, just heard a dispatch for a possible heat-related road problem – “buckled road” reported at 36th/Morgan 36th/Oregon.

4:29 PM: Thanks to the reader who texted photos right after we published that!

5:36 PM: Sea-Tac has since hit 107. (Added: The official high – 108.) And we’ve received another reader report/photo of what could be a weather-related road problem:

That’s at 40th/Holly in Gatewooc.

8:49 PM: The 36th/Oregon sinkhole has now closed a section of street – that’s it at right below.

10 Replies to "HEAT WAVE: Notes from another record-setting afternoon"

  • James June 28, 2021 (6:07 pm)

    Buckling concrete because of heat? I know SDOT said they had to monitor the bridge through a full year of thermal cycles, but all the armchair engineers on here said that was a waste of time?!

    • WSB June 28, 2021 (6:15 pm)

      The bridge BTW has not reported problems so far. I asked about that earlier and am writing the story now.

  • Hotty June 28, 2021 (6:23 pm)

    I woke up in Ocean shores this morning and it hit 87 by 9:30am. About 10am, the off shore clouds moved on and by 11am, it was 70°. And still is,  so many people here too. Glad I left townPeace out all

  • The Self June 28, 2021 (7:01 pm)

    Question: why would the Hiawatha wading pool not be open for the past 2 days? Makes no sense at all. 

    • WSB June 28, 2021 (7:08 pm)

      Neither the Hiawatha nor EC Hughes pool is being opened this year at all (along with some others around the city), as announced some time back.

    • Krb June 29, 2021 (1:13 am)

      Yeah, because in Admiral we don’t get an open library, community center, or wading pool. It just wouldn’t be equitable!

      • Xman June 29, 2021 (1:19 pm)

        Pays to be poor? 

        • Orb June 29, 2021 (8:54 pm)

          More like the middle class always get the short end of the stick. 

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