Life

These Cities Can Actually Complain About The Heat

by Jessica Learish

You know when that army of ice-zombies from Game Of Thrones starts to look like good company that it is way, way too hot outside. The summer of 2015 has been breaking records on local as well as global scales, but these hottest U.S. cities are taking a lot of, well, heat this year.

Climate scientists agree that the frequency of extreme weather events, including heat waves, increases as the planet heats up. In March of 2012, 15,292 warm-weather records were broken in the contiguous United States alone. And while the long, scorching days are getting hotter, summer nights are showing a sharp increase in temperatures as well. According to Climate Central, minimum daily temperatures in June 2015 came in at a whopping 3.4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the 20th century average. In the past 12 months alone, the records being set for warmest minimum daily temperatures are outpacing records for lowest lows by a margin of six-to-one.

While all 50 states are experiencing a miserable summer this year, some regions are experiencing warmer and weirder weather patterns than most. Think it's hot where you are? See how your hometown compares to these cities going through brutally hot summers right now.

1. Spokane, Washington

Washington State and its neighbors are taking an absolute beating this summer, with average highs hitting anywhere from 10 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit above the historic weekly averages. Spokane, Washington broke its all-time high temperature record two consecutive days with highs of 102 and 105, respectively.

2. Portland, Oregon

Portland saw a new record for warmest daily low temperature in June (71 degrees Fahrenheit) — a record that had been standing since Harry Truman was president.

3. New York City, New York

The residents of Manhattan are among the 70 million Americans under some sort of heat advisory this week. Temperatures in the upper 90s and stifling humidity has the heat index up in the triple-digits — with no sign of relief.

4. Los Angeles, California

What in the world has been going on in L.A. these past few days?! My dog has literally learned how to ask for the air conditioner to be turned on. As cute as that is, it's totally weird and uncalled for. Former Hurricane Dolores blew through Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday, bringing record rainfalls and ridiculous 90-plus percent humidity between hail-supercharged thundershowers. A bridge on Interstate 10 east of the Coachella Valley actually collapsed due to the heavy rainfall.

5. San Francisco, California

Sunday's high temperature in San Francisco (86 degrees Fahrenheit) shattered the previous record of almost 10 years by four degrees, which is a lot, in meteorological terms.

Check out this video from Climate Central to learn more about how climate change is affecting heat waves across the country.

Looking for instant ways to beat the heat this summer? Check out these genius cooling tricks, and for more life hacks, visit Bustle on YouTube.

Images: Garrett Ziegler/Flickr