Six Skagit County deaths linked to heat wave

Jul. 9—Six Skagit County residents are confirmed to have died during last month's record-breaking heat wave.

The deaths are reported to have occurred between about June 28 and July 4, according to the Skagit County Coroner's Office.

Skagit County Chief Deputy Coroner Deb Hollis said the deceased were three men and three women between the ages of 60 and 94. Three were from Mount Vernon, and one each was from Anacortes, Sedro-Woolley and Hamilton.

Hyperthermia, also known as overheating, is when the body's temperature rises to unsafe levels. Hollis said it was at least a contributing factor in each of the confirmed deaths.

One person's recorded body temperature pre-death was 106 degrees, Hollis said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees.

A common factor among those who died while overheated was that they did not have air conditioning or fans. Hollis said some were also dehydrated.

Six heat-related deaths in such a short time is unusual, Hollis said.

"The temperatures were just abnormally high for the average for this time of year," she said.

Skagit County saw temperatures 12 degrees or higher than normal for the week of June 23-29, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. It was among the about 50 Washington, Oregon and Idaho counties that saw the largest departure from normal temperatures while a high-pressure weather system baked the Northwest that last week of June.

According to The Associated Press, the heat wave was caused by what meteorologists described as a dome of high pressure over the Northwest that was worsened by human-caused climate change, which is making such extreme weather events more frequent and more intense.

In Washington, preliminary statewide numbers — which as of Thursday did not yet include one of Skagit County's deaths — showed at least 78 people died as a result of the heat wave, according to the state Department of Health. Most were reported in populous King and Pierce counties.

During such extreme heat, Hollis said it is important to check on vulnerable people.

"Make sure they have water and a way to cool down," she said. "Family need to check on their loved ones just to make sure they're OK."

That advice may be important to heed through the hot and dry summer, which is just getting started.

According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, July through September have a 40% or more chance of seeing temperatures higher than normal continue to cook Washington and neighboring states.

Over the past week, the amount of Skagit County that is dealing with abnormally dry conditions has grown, and conditions in west Skagit County deteriorated to moderate drought levels, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Accordingly, Skagit County and the rest of Washington are now in the red for above-normal wildfire potential through the summer, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Conditions may further deteriorate, as well, with a 40-50% chance that precipitation levels will be lower than normal for the region through September, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

— Reporter Kimberly Cauvel contributed to this story.

— Reporter Kera Wanielista: 360-416-2141, kwanielista@skagitpublishing.com, Twitter: @Kera_SVH, facebook.com/KeraReports