Last weekend, as I was sitting on my couch with two box fans on full blast, my roommate reluctantly announced the forecast for the upcoming week: several days over 100 degrees, reaching as high as 106. We all groaned and proceeded to take another round of frozen towels from the freezer.
Now, 106 degrees may sound like a strange temperature to complain about, especially if you are from places like Arizona or Texas, where the average summer temperature ranges from 90-120 degrees. For context, the average summer temperature of Idaho rarely climbs above 100 degrees, and the highest temperature ever recorded in Idaho was 118 degrees in Orofino in 1934.
The weather Idahoans often prepare for is the winters, so central air conditioning is not particularly common around here, especially in older buildings. As a result, the Northwest was wildly unprepared for the heat we were about to experience.
Let me set the scene for you: My reality for the last week has been an apartment lacking central air conditioning, one small window in the kitchen with a leaking AC unit duct taped to it, two box fans on full blast, exchanging wet towels for frozen ones, sleeping on top of the covers, feeding ice cubes to a constantly panting dog, setting alarms for 7 a.m. to shut the blinds and take the window fan out, all along with constant sweat and fatigue.
This wasn’t the worst of it. Portland saw temperatures as high as 116 degrees. Roads were buckling and power cables were melting. The Northwest’s infrastructure is simply not built for this extreme heat, nor are the people. Homeless communities and individuals were left exposed to dangerous temperatures and UV indexes, as well as local wildlife.
So, I was dismayed to find that there were many people across social media platforms joking about how Northwesterners “can’t handle the heat.” Responses to this criticism pointed out hypocrisy and lack of empathy.
Tik Tok user, @b_r_612, made a Tik Tok about her frustration with fellow Texas residents joking about the heat wave.
“Any Texans who are like ‘Oh my god, you have no idea what hot really means,’ I’m disappointed in you,” she said. “I’m disappointed in you because just a few months ago, we were in this position where our infrastructure and our homes were not built for freezing weather… a little empathy would be nice.”
Twitter user, @StrahdVonZ, also tweeted about their frustrations and asked people to think about the circumstances of those experiencing the heat wave before joking about it.
“Please, before you joke about the heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, remember that almost all of us are without central AC and this poses a very real risk of injury and death for some folks,” they said.
Those of you who are living in climates where temperatures like these are normal, or even if you are experiencing the heat wave yourself, instead of joking or criticizing those of us who are unfamiliar with intense heat, contribute to those who are suffering because of it.
If you are in a position to help, consider donating to organizations like Portland’s Blanchet House, which is taking reusable water bottle donations, or Seattle-based non-profit Kits For Peace, which provides care packages for those experiencing homelessness. More information on how you can help can be found here.
Bailey Brockett can be reached at [email protected]