The Columbian

Weather & Climate

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Weather Eye: Enjoy the more ‘normal’ summer weather this week

August 9, 2022, 6:04am Clark County News

Many of you enjoyed the cooler temperatures Monday and as of 5 p.m. Vancouver recorded a high of 87 degrees, down 12 degrees from Sunday’s high temperature. Yep, we were only one degree shy of 100 degrees Sunday. Could you notice? Ha-ha. Read story

Multnomah County medical examiner: 1 potential heat death Sunday in Oregon

August 8, 2022, 8:12pm Northwest

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner said Monday that one person died Sunday in Portland, potentially from when the temperature reached 100 degrees. Read story

Flames from the McKinney Fire burn beyond firefighters in Klamath National Forest, Calif., on Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Extreme heat turned McKinney fire into unstoppable monster, bringing death and destruction

August 7, 2022, 2:41pm Nation & World

It was the perfect storm of factors for a deadly wildfire, experts say — extreme heat, dense and dry vegetation, and erratic winds and lightning brought on by persistent thunderstorms. Read story

The heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest was predicted early through data from satellites that measure the atmosphere over parts of the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s for the next several days.

Seattle is building weather-predicting tech to spot heat waves

August 7, 2022, 6:05am Latest News

Seattle weather was in the sunny 70s in mid-July when weather forecasters saw the heat wave that has driven 90-degree highs last week was on its way. Read story

Weather Eye: Get out, enjoy good weather but avoid heat today, tomorrow

August 7, 2022, 6:04am Clark County News

Vancouver as of 5 p.m. Saturday recorded another 90 degree high with 92 degrees going into the record books. That is the first 90 degree high so far this month after the cool down as August rolled in. We will have another 90 degree high today, Monday and maybe Tuesday.… Read story

In this photo provided by the National Park Service, cars are stuck in mud and debris from flash flooding at The Inn at Death Valley in Death Valley National Park, Calif., Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding that closed several roads in Death Valley National Park on Friday near the California-Nevada line. The National Weather Service reported that all park roads had been closed after 1 to 2 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time.

Tourists find safety after floods close Death Valley roads

August 6, 2022, 1:15pm Latest News

Hundreds of hotel guests trapped by flash flooding at Death Valley National Park were able to drive out after crews cleared a pathway through rocks and mud, but roads damaged by floodwaters or choked with debris were expected to remain closed into next week, officials said Saturday. Read story

In this photo provided by the National Park Service, Highway 190 is closed due to flash flooding in Death Valley National Park, Calif., Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding that closed several roads in Death Valley National Park on Friday near the California-Nevada line. The National Weather Service reported that all park roads had been closed after 1 to 2 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time.

Flash floods strand 1,000 people in Death Valley National Park

August 5, 2022, 5:00pm Nation & World

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — Flash flooding at Death Valley National Park triggered by heavy rainfall on Friday buried cars, forced officials to close all roads in and out the park and stranded about 1,000 people, officials said Read story

FILE - This aerial image taken with a drone shows homes leveled by the Almeda Fire line at Bear Lake Estates in Phoenix, Ore., on Sept. 15, 2020. A new map in Oregon that rated the wildfire risk of every tax lot in the state, labeling nearly 80,000 properties as high-risk, generated so much pushback from angry homeowners that officials abruptly retracted it, saying they had not done enough local outreach before publicizing the ambitious project.

Oregon’s wildfire risk map emerges as new climate flashpoint

August 5, 2022, 2:04pm Latest News

A new map in Oregon that rated the wildfire risk of every tax lot in the state — labeling nearly 80,000 structures as high-risk — generated so much pushback from angry homeowners that officials abruptly retracted it, saying they had not done enough local outreach before publicizing the ambitious project. Read story

Storms ground U.S. air travelers as airlines cancel flights

August 5, 2022, 1:03pm Business

Tens of thousands of flyers had their travel plans upended Friday after airlines canceled more than 1,100 flights for a second straight day because of thunderstorms hitting the East Coast. Read story

A vehicle is abandoned and surrounded by mud caused by massive flooding on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, near Haddix, Ky.

More storms bring renewed flood threat in hard-hit Kentucky

August 5, 2022, 11:32am Nation & World

Thunderstorms on Friday brought a renewed threat of flooding to parts of Kentucky ravaged by high water a week ago. Read story