Summer – thankfully – is officially over.
Never thought I’d feel that way. Summer has long been my favorite season, a time of clear blue skies and sunshine, picnics, barbecues, swimming …
This year, not so much. The summer of 2026 was one to be endured as much as enjoyed.
It was, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “officially the hottest summer on record for the contiguous United States in 132 years of record keeping.”
The nation’s average temperature was three degrees above the Twentieth Century Average. It “beat the previous record – set during the Dust Bowl in 1936 and tied in 2031 – by a massive 0.4 degrees.”
July, according to NOAA’s records, was the hottest month ever in the U.S. August was nipping at its heels, the hottest August since 1895.
Surprisingly, it was only the eighth hottest summer here.
It just didn’t feel that way. To borrow one of my father-in-law’s favorite phrases, it felt “hotter than the hubs of hell.”
Why?
Maybe the smoke had something to do with it. Remember the smoke that drifted in from the fires in eastern Oregon, blanketing the valley for what seemed like forever?
Maybe not. Maybe you’ve been lucky and forgotten.
Boise, according to NOAA, had “some of the worst air quality conditions in 15 to 20 years. …
“Hourly Air Quality Index peaks reached between 255 and 260, making it the worst 48-hour air quality period in up to two decades and briefly ranking Idaho’s air quality as the worst in the nation.”
Try finding that in the stories about what a great place this is to live.
Except for time away at college and in the Navy I’ve lived in Boise all my life. And for most of that time it actually has been a great place to live.
Big enough to have diverse entertainment and recreation options: concerts, theater arts, hiking in the Foothills, skiing at Bogus Basin, multiple types of sports events … All while retaining a small-town feel and a pleasant, four-season climate.
Now it’s a pleasant three-season climate. Fall is beautiful, winters are typically mild and spring is lovely and welcome. Summer is, well, not as welcome as it once was.
This may have been only the eighth hottest summer on record, but with temperatures as high as 104 degrees and continual regional air quality advisories it seemed like the hottest and arguably one of the worst summers ever.
I like to take the dog for daily walks, sometimes twice a day. Sadly, there were more than a few days this summer when that wasn’t a great idea. The smoke was as unhealthy to breathe – for both of us – as it was depressing.
Unhealthy air canceled a Boise Hawks baseball game. The city canceled or altered outdoor activities, including swimming lessons and some pool operations.
In other Treasure Valley cities, the smoke led to outdoor events being canceled and softball games and school practices being moved indoors.
What’s causing all this? Though many including our president still deny it, the evidence points to, among other things, climate change. Google cites the following factors:
“Climate Change: Rising global temperatures and lower moisture levels pull water from soil and plants, creating severe fire weather. Hotter nights also prevent fires from dying down overnight, helping them grow larger.
Human Activity: People cause roughly 84% of wildland fires through unattended campfires, discarded cigarettes, equipment sparks, fireworks, and arson.
Fuel Buildup: Decades of total fire suppression policies stopped natural, small burns. This allowed dead wood, brush, and thick vegetation to accumulate, feeding much larger and more intense fires.”
Put another way, we’ve brought a lot this on ourselves.
Is there anything we could to do change this?
Yes. Switching to clean energy sources like solar, geothermal wind and nuclear energy would help.
Individually, we could walk more, bike more, drive EVs.
Some of these things are happening. But not enough, at least so far, to turn the tide. Our president is opposed to many of them.
Much as I’d like to end this on a positive note, none comes to mind.
Ideas? Suggestions? I’d love to hear them.
Tim Woodward’s column appears every other Sunday and is posted on woodwardblog.com the following Mondays. Contact him at woodwardcolumn@gmail.com.
