Science
We Mapped Heat in 3 U.S. Cities. Some Sidewalks Were Over 130 Degrees.
We usually talk about summertime heat in terms of how hot the air is, but there’s another metric that matters: the temperatures of roads, sidewalks, buildings, parking lots and other outdoor surfaces. Hot surfaces can make the places people live and work more dangerous, and can increase the risk of contact burns.
Just consider this image, captured recently by satellite, of surface temperatures across Phoenix.
Sources: U.S.G.S. Landsat via Google Earth Engine; U.S. Census.
Note: Satellite image taken at 12:03 p.m. local time. Higher-uncertainty pixels removed.
Around noon on July 10, huge parts of the nation’s fastest-growing large city were 120 degrees Fahrenheit, about 49 Celsius, or hotter to the touch. Had you been unlucky or unwise enough to actually touch it with bare skin, it could have caused injury within minutes.
On the city’s desert fringes, in territory governed by Native American nations, the land was even hotter, 150 degrees or more.
So far this summer, the Arizona Burn Center, which serves Phoenix and the broader Southwest, has admitted 65 people for severe heat-related burns, according to Dr. Kevin Foster, the center’s director. Six of these people died from their injuries. Last summer, the center recorded 14 such deaths.
Yet even that figure is small compared with the 645 heat-related deaths that were identified last year in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix. That was the highest number on record for the county. (This year, the county has so far reported 23 heat-related deaths and is investigating 322 more.)
Surface temperatures are just one of many factors that cities are thinking about as they try to protect residents from extreme heat, said Ladd Keith, an associate professor in the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning at the University of Arizona.
In an environment as complex as a city, heat can harm people, pets and wildlife in many different settings and circumstances, Dr. Keith said. For officials, it can be tricky to figure out which exact combination of policies and actions might prove most beneficial to public health.
Phoenix, for instance, is trying to plant more trees and increase shade. The city’s “Cool Pavement” program has treated 120 miles of asphalt to help it reflect more sunlight and stay cooler as a result. But from a cost-benefit perspective, might it make more sense to put those resources toward building more heat-tolerant homes or addressing homelessness instead? “It’s really hard to know what that mix is,” Dr. Keith said.
What’s clear, he said, is the need to figure it out quickly. “Heat deaths are climbing faster than any of our investments to prevent them,” he said. And human-caused global warming keeps increasing the frequency and intensity of dangerous heat waves. “We’re chasing a moving target very slowly,” he said.
Sources: U.S.G.S. Landsat via Google Earth Engine; U.S. Census.
Note: Satellite image taken at 11:45 a.m. local time. Higher-uncertainty pixels removed.
Sacramento is known, with pride, as the City of Trees. But tree cover isn’t distributed equally there, and neither is exposure to broiling heat. On the northern and southern sides of California’s capital, residents of low-income neighborhoods have long contended with a shortage of shade and green space on sweltering days like last week’s.
Victoria Vasquez is the grants and public policy manager for California ReLeaf, a coalition of nonprofit groups that protect and grow the state’s urban forests. Funding for such work is always tight, Ms. Vasquez said. That hasn’t changed very much even as the West suffers through more and more record temperatures. “I wish that it did,” she said.
Still, she sees signs of movement in the right direction. Sacramento is considering a plan to increase citywide tree cover to 35 percent from 19 percent by 2045. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the United States Forest Service received $1.5 billion to support urban forest programs.
When neighborhood associations see how quickly they can reap the benefits of planting and maintaining trees, Ms. Vasquez said, “that is an infectious, positive change.”
Sources: U.S.G.S. Landsat via Google Earth Engine; U.S. Census.
Note: Satellite image taken at 11:55 a.m. local time. Higher-uncertainty pixels removed.
In Portland, Ore., tree-filled areas like Forest Park, on the city’s west side, provided oases of cool last week. Yet Vivek Shandas, a professor of urban planning at Portland State University, and his colleagues recently discovered that the city’s overall tree cover decreased somewhat between 2014 and 2020. One likely culprit? Trees are often removed when houses are sold and residential areas redeveloped.
The medical examiner’s office in Multnomah County, which includes Portland, said last week that it was investigating five deaths for links to the recent blistering heat.
In many ways, Portland has become much more attuned to heat threats ever since a heat dome killed hundreds of people in Oregon and Washington in the summer of 2021, Dr. Shandas said. The city is communicating the risks more actively. It has provided portable cooling units to low-income residents. Still missing, Dr. Shandas said, are the changes to building codes and construction practices that would truly ready Portland for the hotter years and decades to come.
“The things that are low-hanging fruit right now, I think have pretty much been picked,” he said. “The longer-term, sustained, deep retrofit that the city needs in order to be prepared for the increasing intensity and frequency of these heat waves? I have yet to see any of that.”
Science
Bodies of all 9 skiers killed in devastating avalanche recovered by authorities
California search-and-rescue teams have recovered the bodies of all nine missing skiers killed Tuesday in a devastating avalanche in a remote region of Sierra Nevada north of Lake Tahoe.
When a catastrophic avalanche rumbled over a stretch of the High Sierra, dozens of law enforcement officers scoured the mountainside for a group of 15 skiers, including four mountain guides.
Within hours, crews rescued six survivors and discovered eight deceased skiers near the Frog Lake Backcountry Huts. Another skier was still missing, but was presumed dead.
After five days of navigating deep snowpack and treacherous weather conditions, authorities announced they had found the body of the ninth victim.
During a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Nevada County identified the victims as six skiers and three professional mountain guides:
- Andrew Alissandratos, 34, of Verdi, Nev., a Blackbird Mountain Guide
- Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs, Calif.
- Nicole Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Blackbird Mountain Guide
- Lizabeth Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho
- Michael Henry, 30, from Soda Springs, Calif., a Blackbird Mountain Guide
- Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, Calif.
- Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, Calif.
- Caroline Sekar, 45, of Soda Springs and San Francisco, Calif.
- Katherine Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, Calif.
Authorities lamented the fast-moving disaster as the deadliest avalanche in modern California history.
“There are no words that truly capture the significance of this loss and our hearts mourn alongside the families of those affected by this catastrophic event,” Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said in a statement on Saturday. “The weight of this event is felt across many families, friends, and colleagues, and we stand together with them during this difficult time.” Moon said.
The avalanche occurred amid a powerful atmospheric river storm that unleashed several feet of snow onto the Sierra Nevada mountains. First responders maneuvered through the blizzard on snowcats and skis to rescue the survivors.
But the unstable snowpack, high winds and whiteout conditions made search-and-recovery efforts too perilous, prompting first responders to leave behind the bodies of deceased skiers and suspend operations on Wednesday and Thursday.
Authorities carved paths through the deep snow to eventually continue the search, and California Highway Patrol officers found the ninth victim.
The Nevada County Sheriff‘s Office was also assisted by California National Guard, California State Parks, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Truckee Police Department and the United States Forest Service.
Science
Video: ‘Very Successful Day’: NASA Completes Artemis II Launchpad Test
new video loaded: ‘Very Successful Day’: NASA Completes Artemis II Launchpad Test
transcript
transcript
‘Very Successful Day’: NASA Completes Artemis II Launchpad Test
NASA successfully completed a rehearsal to launch the Artemis II rocket on Thursday. The mission would send astronauts around the Moon’s orbit for the first time in more than 50 years.
-
“Very successful day. I’m very proud of this team and all that they accomplished to get us to yesterday, and then to go execute with such precision.” “Following that successful wet dress yesterday, we’re now targeting March 6 as our earliest launch attempt. I am going to caveat that — I want to be open, transparent with all of you, that there is still pending work.”
By Jorge Mitssunaga
February 20, 2026
Science
Fourth measles case confirmed in L.A. County; person visited LAX, restaurants while infectious
A fourth measles case has been confirmed in Los Angeles County, prompting renewed calls from health officials for residents to ensure they are protected against the highly contagious virus.
The infected individual flew from Singapore to Los Angeles International Airport on Feb. 9 aboard Singapore Airlines Flight 38. The plane landed at about 7 p.m. following a 14-hour journey, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
Over the following days, the individual visited a few San Gabriel Valley fast food restaurants, potentially exposing others to the measles virus.
“As measles cases increase, it is important that residents take steps to make sure they are fully protected,” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a statement. “The [measles-mumps-rubella] vaccine is the safest and most reliable way to prevent measles and protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
The health department did not respond to questions from The Times regarding the sex or age of the infected individual, who was described in a statement as “a resident who recently traveled internationally.”
After arriving at and leaving the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the individual visited restaurants and convenience stores throughout Whittier and Montebello.
The individual ate at a Burger King in Montebello, 1212 West Beverly Blvd., on Feb. 10 between 5:30 and 7 p.m. The next day, the person dined at Taqueria El Atacor, 11156 1/2 Whittier Blvd. in Whittier, between 3 and 5 p.m.
The final two stops in Montebello were at Domino’s Pizza, 803 West Whittier Blvd., between 4 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 12; and 7-Eleven, 1106 West Beverly Blvd., on Feb. 13 between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
Those who were in the Bradley Terminal (Terminal B) on Feb. 9 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:40 p.m., or in the eateries above during the aforementioned time windows, may have been exposed to the measles virus.
Symptoms typically develop anywhere from seven to 21 days after exposure, according to the health department.
Concerned individuals should confirm whether they have protection against the virus, either through past measles vaccinations or infections.
Those who are not immunized or are unsure of their status should monitor themselves closely for signs of infection. Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose or red eyes, as well as a rash.
Those with such symptoms are encouraged to stay home and avoid school, work and any gatherings. They should also call a healthcare provider immediately, but not go into a healthcare facility without informing them.
The monitoring deadline for symptoms ranges from March 2 at LAX until March 6 at 7-Eleven for individuals who visited those spaces around the same time as the infected person.
Davis said the most effective way to protect against measles is to take the MMR vaccine. Children age 1 year and older are considered fully immunized after receiving two doses.
“Measles spreads easily and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death,” Davis said. “We urge everyone to confirm their immunity and get the MMR vaccine if needed, especially before traveling. Taking this simple step helps safeguard your health and strengthens protection for our entire community.”
Previous cases confirmed in L.A. County so far this year also involved individuals who had traveled internationally. One of those individuals ventured to Sherman Oaks on Jan. 24, another to Woodland Hills on Jan. 30. The first case had no identified public exposure locations in L.A. County.
Measles cases have increased in the United States as vaccination rates have fallen in recent years, allowing the highly contagious virus to spread in communities with lower vaccine coverage.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 2,280 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. last year, the highest annual total since 1991. As of Feb. 12, 910 cases had already been confirmed nationwide this year — including 15 in California.
-
Montana3 days ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Oklahoma5 days agoWildfires rage in Oklahoma as thousands urged to evacuate a small city
-
Culture1 week agoVideo: How Much Do You Know About Romance Books?
-
Science1 week agoWhat a Speech Reveals About Trump’s Plans for Nuclear Weapons
-
Politics1 week agoSchumer’s ‘E. coli’ burger photo resurfaces after another Dem’s grilling skills get torched: ‘What is that?’
-
Technology2 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘Pennum Porattum’ movie review: An absurdist satire that just escapes getting lost in its chaos
-
Technology1 week agoThe DJI Romo robovac had security so poor, this man remotely accessed thousands of them