What would it be like if it was 115 degrees in Arlington?
As temperatures hovered around 95 degrees in Arlington on Monday, June 28, it was hard to imagine the temperature getting 20 degrees warmer, but as a recent surge of unprecedented heat in the Pacific Northwest has shown, the possibility of temperatures hitting well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in New England may be possible. The normally temperate Pacific Northwest has seen previous record temperatures annihilated by the heat wave. In Portland, Oregon, the previous record temperature in June was 102 degrees, but on June 28 the temperature hit an astonishing 116 degrees. In Seattle, the previous record for June was 96 degrees, but on Monday it hit 108 degrees. The normally freezing peak of Mount Rainer in Washington hit 73 degrees despite being located more than 10,000 feet above sea level. Lytton, British Columbia hit 118 degrees, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada, beating the old record by 5 degrees. The impact of the excessive heat on the Northwest has had wide-ranging effects. An increase in heat related injuries such as sun stroke have been recorded across the area. Portland suspended light rail service due to melting of the electric cables used to power the trains, and in Washington, interstates have been closed due to asphalt buckling. Alan Dunham, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service Boston, said that the circumstances that made the heat wave in the Northwest are unlikely to be repeated in Massachusetts where the warmest temperature on record is 107 degrees, recorded in 1975 in New Bedford. "In the Northwest they had what is called adiabatic warming, which is when air is warmed by coming over mountains. They have much higher mountains out there, so the impact is more significant," Dunham said. "We also have water not only to our east, with the Atlantic Ocean, but also to our south in the Long Island Sound. There is a finite amount of space in New England for the pressure to build up enough to get those kinds of temperatures." Areas across the United States have experienced more extremely hot days over the last several decades than in previous recorded history. Dealing with a heat wave in Arlington  Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine said that the first thing that is done during a heat wave is to set up cooling centers for at-risk populations who may be living without air conditioning. "We work with the Council on Aging and the Arlington Housing Authority to get those people at risk into a cool location; the Robbins Library is our primary cooling station in town, and when the community center on Maple Street is completed that will be a location as well," Chapdelaine said. "Over the years I would say we have had less of a demand for cooling centers as more homes have been outfitted with air conditioning." Other steps include ensuring the Arlington Reservoir and the local spray parks are adequately staffed. Chapdelaine also said if temperatures hit record numbers, the town would have to look at what kind of services could put town employees at risk. "We would have to look at our employees who are working outside, like our DPW workers, who are doing manual labor. If it was 114 degrees, I don't think we could have them working like that," Chapdelaine said. The increase in days hitting over 90 degrees, particularly in June, might eventually lead to changes in buildings, particularly schools. "If we are getting so many hot days in June, we may need to look at upgrading some of our school buildings to make sure they have air conditioning. It would be very expensive, but it might become necessary," Chapdelaine said. Strain on the power grid  Extreme heat can also put a strain on the power grid, as prolonged use of air conditioning across the region can lead to region-wide blackouts. Janine Saunders, a spokesperson for ISO New England, which manages power grid efficiency across New England, said the demand for power during the latest heat wave was big but not near record levels. "Yesterday (June 28), based on preliminary numbers, consumer demand for electricity reached 24,533 megawatts. New Englands all-time peak was set on August 2, 2006, during an extended heat wave. On that date the region used 28,130 MW of electricity," Saunders said. Saunders said that as global climate change becomes a more persistent issue, the power grid may continue to be tested. "As recent events around the US demonstrate, a changing climate will continue to challenge all of us and result in extreme conditions that may threaten power system reliability. The ISO is actively engaged with New England state leaders and others to plan for these conditions and prepare the regions electricity system for the future," Saunders said.