Top Tweets for #UTPOl

Over the last few days, I’ve read hundreds of comments about Utah’s historic heat. Some have been thoughtful. Others… not so much. Here are a few of the things people have been saying: “It’s just summer in Utah.” “We survived this without A/C years ago.” “The media is creating hysteria.” “The airport weather station moved, so the record doesn’t count.” “109° isn’t that much hotter than 107°.” “Meteorologists are being dramatic.” Let’s clear a few things up. Yes, it’s July. Yes, Utah gets hot. But that doesn’t make 109° normal. Salt Lake City has kept weather records since 1874. In more than 150 years of observations, we had never reached 108°… until now. We didn’t just tie the old all-time record of 107°, we surpassed it by two degrees. At the extreme upper end of temperature records, that’s a significant margin. I’ve also seen claims that the airport weather station somehow “created” this record. The reality is that observing sites are maintained under strict standards, and any changes are carefully documented by climate experts. If the National Weather Service and climate scientists determine a record is valid, it’s because the data has been thoroughly evaluated, not because someone wanted a headline. Another common comment is, “People lived without air conditioning.” Many still do. That’s exactly why extreme heat is so dangerous. Not everyone has reliable A/C, a safe place to cool down, or the ability to stay inside. Heat is consistently one of the deadliest weather hazards in the United States because it disproportionately affects older adults, young children, outdoor workers, people experiencing homelessness, and those with chronic health conditions. Reporting on record-breaking weather isn’t fearmongering. It’s our job. My goal has never been to scare people. It’s to explain what’s happening, why it matters, and how to stay safe. You don’t have to agree with every forecast or every headline, but facts are still facts. Weather isn’t political. It isn’t about opinions. The thermometer doesn’t care what any of us believe. Stay cool, check on your neighbors, and be kind to one another. That’s far more productive than arguing with the thermometer. 🌡️🥵

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board tears apart Trump’s tariffs in a blistering editorial: “The President is right that his tariffs are at work—in destroying U.S. jobs and raising prices. The U.S. has lost some 75,000 manufacturing jobs since January 2025, including 25,900 in motor vehicle and parts production... there’s no question his tariffs are raising costs for U.S. manufacturers.…Mr. Trump and his advisers claim that foreigners pay his border taxes, but the evidence shows that U.S. companies, workers and consumers are picking up most of the tab. The Anderson Economic Group estimates that auto tariffs on Canada and Mexico alone added about $1,600 to the cost of each car made in the U.S. last year. While auto makers absorbed some of the Trump tariff costs, they also passed on a large share to customers…Call it the Trump tax.”