It’s Wednesday, July 2, and it’s getting hot in here.
Last week was our first extreme heat wave of the summer; temperatures soared into the triple digits in parts of the state, and the humidity made it feel even hotter.
But it’s unlikely to be our last. Climate change is making heatwaves four times more likely in parts of Maine, according to data from Climate Central. And the Maine Climate office said that summer temperatures in Maine have increased 3 degrees on average since the 1950s.
Because Maine is a cold weather state, we’re less accustomed to and prepared for extreme heat - and that can leave people, and infrastructure, vulnerable.
Like the Casco Bay Bridge, which got stuck in the upright position because of the heat. The drawbridge connects Portland to South Portland, and is the most efficient way to get between the two cities. But the heat caused the metal to swell, creating a mechanical issue – and backing up traffic during rush hour. And it wasn’t the only one. Bridges in other East Coast cities, like in Rhode Island and New Jersey, swelled in the heat, too, causing extra traffic.
“Heat can cause metal components to expand and bridge decks to shift out of alignment, which may hinder the smooth operation of the bridge’s lift and locking mechanisms,” Yi Bao, associate professor of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken told NJ.com.
The easiest fix? Spraying the bridge parts with cold water from a firehose until they cool down enough to rejoin.
Sidewalks, too, were expanding to the point of buckling. Just like metal on a bridge, concrete can expand in heat. One Maine Public reporter witnessed a sidewalk that got so hot it broke apart (see photo).
Maine Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Vanessa Sperrey said the high temperatures can catch northerners off guard.
"Mainers are pretty tough,” Sperrey said. “When it comes to hot weather we don’t necessarily think of Maine as a place that experiences these kinds of conditions. So we just want to make sure people know what the forecast is and that they are planning ahead," she said.
Heat is one of the deadliest kinds of extreme weather. Older people, infants, those with certain health conditions, and those lacking shelter are especially vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
Cities and towns across Maine opened cooling centers last week as the oppressive heat blanketed the state. Cooling centers are public spaces where air conditioning and water are free to all. They often pop up during heat waves at the direction of state or local officials. But some libraries can act as cooling centers all summer long.
And in Portland last week, workers fanned out across the city to check on unhoused individuals.
"We're trying to reach out to them, see what their immediate needs are, see if they'll accept some cool water, and try to direct them to the cooling center," said Maggie McLaughlin, the city's health and human services director.
Some families turned to beaches, pools, parks, and splash pads to keep cool. But on a day when the heat index was pushing 107 degrees Fahrenheit, even a Maine coastal breeze wasn’t offering as much relief as usual.
“We thought it would be cooler at the beach, but it still feels quite hot,” said Hilary Kark, who had just arrived for a swim.
Temperatures in Maine and New England are back down to normal, for now - but Sperrey said Mainers should continue to check the weather and be prepared, should another heatwave hit this summer.
~additional reporting by Peter McGuire and Ari Snider
Maine residents cope with unusual heat : NPR
From an inland strawberry farm to a state park on the coast, Mainers ride the heat wave.
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In Greater New England
⚡How rooftop solar is helping New England stay cool during the heat wave | WBUR
🥵How hot is too hot for kids to play outside? | NPR
📈With Tuesday's heat, Boston could top June record — and even break all-time hottest temp | WBUR
🐢Stranded off Cape Cod last winter, 17 sea turtles return to the ocean | WCAI
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🍓Farmers say 'backwards spring' was good news for strawberries | Vermont Public
Low carbon cooling options
Sometimes, you just need air conditioning - like, say, when there’s a heat index of 107. It’s important to be able to cool down during extreme heat. Safety first!
But with more of us buying air-conditioning units than ever before, it can become all too easy to just fall into the pattern of running the A/C, even when we really don’t need to.
I’m guilty of this: the day after the heatwave, it was 85 degrees and humid. Still hot, but not the same dangerous level of heat. But because I had installed my A/C on Monday, I kept it running… until it got dark, the temperature went down, and I realized I didn’t need it anymore. I had to remind myself that, most days in Maine, I simply don’t need my air conditioner.
Air conditioning releases potent planet-heating gases called hydrofluorocarbons - not to mention runs up your electric bill. When it’s really hot out and everyone’s A/C is running, it’s been known to strain the New England grid.
There are lots of ways to cool your home with little to no energy use - and some of them are so old-school, you likely know them already. For Climate Solutions Week, NPR’s Life Kit gathered some tips from experts:
1. Open the windows
Bonus points for opening two or more windows and creating a cross-breeze! Researchers found that using natural ventilation can translate into huge energy savings — up to 45%, depending on the local climate. This works especially well in the evenings, or on temperate days.
2. Use or install ceiling fans
Ceiling fans may not bring the temperature down, but they get the air circulating - which in a cool place like Maine, may just be all you need.
" I think that a lot of people can install ceiling fans and don't even think about it anymore in the age of air conditioning," Dorit Aviv, assistant professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, told NPR. "A lot of the time, you don't need air conditioning if you have a ceiling fan."
Window fans will get air moving, as well - and most air conditioners have a ‘fan’ mode. Moving air increases the rate at which our bodies lose heat due to evaporation - that’s why a cool breeze feels like such a relief.
3. Seal up cracks with weather-stripping
If you’re going to be cooling your house, you may as well prevent extra heat seeping in through the cracks, making your cooling less efficient. Heat likes to move (especially up!), and will, if given an opening. The most common vulnerabilities are doors and windows. A simple and low-cost option is sealing up cracks with tape or rubber, commonly found at hardware stores. Or, if it’s in the budget, replacing or fixing leaky windows. You may have already done this over the winter - if not, it’ll come in handy then, too!
4. Look outside the box house
For next-level cooling, there are two options: A) installing shades or shutters outside the house, rather than inside, and B) Putting a reflective surface on the roof of your house.
Both work off of the same principle: to reflect or absorb heat outside the house, before it can get inside. Reflective silver or white paint will bounce the sun and its warmth back off the roof, rather than bringing it inside. But, it’s worth noting: Maine does still get cold in the winter! Consult with a roofing expert to discuss the best roofing options for our climate.
It’s common in places like the Mediterranean to have wooden shutters on the outside of a window, rather than shades inside. This means that heat is absorbed by the wood on the other side of the glass window - and stays outside, where it belongs.
‘Til next time,
Molly
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