Weather

Environment

Climate Change And Heat Waves Have Brutal Effect On U.S. Cities' Infrastructure

7:58am July 04, 2021

After a brutal heatwave in the Pacific Northwest, NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Vivek Shandas of Portland State University about the impact climate change is having on cities.

Crews are preparing to demolish the rest of the condo building that partially collapsed in Surfside, Fla., as a storm approaches.

National

Tropical Storm Elsa Nears Florida As Crews Prepare To Demolish Remains Of Condo

11:38pm July 03, 2021

Officials say the unstable building poses a threat to the people involved in ongoing search operations. A storm expected to hit parts of Florida has exacerbated concerns.

Environment

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado On Central California's Heat Wave And Water Shortages

3:13pm July 03, 2021

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with state Sen. Melissa Hurtado of the California Legislature about her district's struggle with widespread drought and water shortages.

An advisory from the National Hurricane Center shows the path of Hurricane Elsa.

National

Hurricane Elsa Could Complicate Surfside Search Efforts

3:23pm July 02, 2021

by Sharon Pruitt-Young

Hurricane Elsa is expected to hit Florida early next week. Officials have begun preparations for potential impact as teams work at the condo site looking for those who remain unaccounted for.

Environment

Death Toll Climbs In Pacific Northwest Due To Heat Wave

8:08am July 02, 2021

by Monica Samayoa

Oregon public health officials say more than 60 people have died in the state due to extreme heat this week. Residents are now asking what more could have been done to prevent the deaths.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service is responding to multiple fires in the province this week. Two wildfires pictured here, the Long Loch wildfire and the Derickson Lake wildfire, are in close proximity and estimated to be 740 acres combined in size.

The Deadly Heat Wave Is Triggering Dozens Of Wildfires In Western Canada

12:28pm July 01, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

The town of Lytton, British Columbia, caught fire and was completely evacuated Wednesday, just one day after setting a new all-time Canadian heat record with a high of 121 degrees Fahrenheit.

Portland's Top Health Official On Preparing For Extreme Weather As The 'New Normal'

6:42pm June 30, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Portland's lead health official, Jennifer Vines, about the extreme heat's impact on the Pacific Northwest.

A display at an Olympia Federal Savings branch shows a temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday in the early evening in Olympia, Wash.

The West Coast Heat Has Killed Dozens And Hospitalized More In Canada And The U.S.

6:41pm June 30, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

Heat-related illnesses have sent hundreds of people to the ER across the region as temperatures hit unprecedented highs. British Columbia reported about 100 excess deaths from Friday to Monday.

Biden Wants To Take On Heat-Buckled Roads In His Infrastructure Update

4:44pm June 30, 2021

by Nathan Rott

Buckling roads in the Pacific Northwest are just one example of how climate extremes can damage all kinds of infrastructure. President Biden wants to make it more resilient to heat, floods and storms.

National

Harsh Temperatures In The Pacific Northwest Take A Toll On Farmers' Crops

7:18am June 30, 2021

by Anna King

The recording-breaking temperatures in the Pacific Northwest are causing trouble in agriculture. Farm workers are suffering from record heat, and the crops are being harmed as well.