Breaking the Thermometer: Analyzing the Science Behind 2024’s Heat Anomalies
Heat waves swept across parts of Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia, leaving vulnerable populations in jeopardy. This year has seen unprecedented global heat…
Heat Wave News
A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which can be both oppressive and hazardous. The definition of a heat wave varies by region based on local climate norms, but it typically involves temperatures that are much higher than average for a specific time of year and last for several days. Heat waves can cause significant impacts on human health, agriculture, and infrastructure. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, are particularly at risk for heat-related illnesses like heatstroke and dehydration. The frequency and intensity of heat waves have increased in recent years, a trend that is often attributed to climate change. Urban areas are especially affected due to the heat island effect, where buildings and roads absorb and re-radiate heat more than natural landscapes. To mitigate heat wave impacts, communities may adopt measures such as opening cooling centers, extending public swimming pool hours, and issuing heat advisories to keep the public informed and prepared.
Heatwaves Kill: New Study Reveals Shocking Mortality Rates Across the Globe
First study to globally map heatwave-related mortality finds 153,000+ heatwave-related deaths per season globally from 1990-2019, with Asia hardest hit. A Monash-led study – the…
Heatwaves Responsible for 150,000+ Deaths Annually
More than 150,000 people per year are estimated to have died from heatwaves around the globe and the new study reveals regional disparities in heatwave…
Tree Rings Reveal 2023 Was the Hottest Summer in 2,000 Years
2023’s summer was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in 2000 years, surpassing natural climate variability, as shown by tree-ring data. This breach of the…
“Frightening” Findings – Heatwaves Are Becoming More Frequent and More Deadly
The heatwaves we’re currently facing pose a significant threat to vulnerable groups like the elderly, the sick, and those in financial hardship. The 2003 heatwave…
Feeling the Burn: Countries at Highest Risk for Devastating Heatwaves
Researchers identified regions, such as Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, and Central America, as most vulnerable to record-breaking heatwaves, emphasizing the need for action plans to…
1,000-Plus Years of Tree Rings Confirm Unprecedented Nature of 2021 Western North America Heat Wave
The historic extremity of the event serves as a warning for other regions. During the summer of 2021, an unprecendented heatwave swept across western North…
Climate Change-Driven Heat Waves Have Cost the World Trillions
Dartmouth research concludes that measures to protect individuals on hot days are needed now, particularly in low-income countries. Massive economic losses brought on by hot weather…
It’s Only Going To Get Hotter: Scientists Forecast Rising Temperatures and More Frequent Heatwaves
Researchers find that human activities increase the chance of more intense heat waves. The 19th of July was the hottest day ever recorded in the…
Extreme Indian Heat Wave: NASA’s ECOSTRESS Detects Blistering “Heat Islands”
The instrument aboard the space station documents blistering hot temperatures in urban areas around Delhi during the historic heat wave on the Indian subcontinent. A…
Oppressive Heat Waves Strike India, Leaving More Than a Billion People Sweltering
The hottest March in India on record was followed by more waves of oppressive heat in April, leaving more than a billion people sweltering and…
As Temperatures Spike, So Do Deaths From Heart Disease – Here’s Who’s Most at Risk
Heat waves, which are on the rise, appear to pose particular risk for men and Black populations. Extreme heat accounted for about 600-700 additional deaths…
Mediterranean Continues To Bake – Surface Temperatures Over 120° in Turkey and Cyprus
This map shows the temperature of the land surface on August 2, 2021. It is clear to see that surface temperatures in Turkey and Cyprus…
NASA Tracks Scorching Heat Wave Over US Southwest
While one science instrument mapped the dome of high pressure that settled over the southwestern U.S. in early July, another captured ground surface temperatures. Just…
NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Tracks Record-Breaking Heat Wave in Pacific Northwest
The AIRS instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite collected temperature readings in the atmosphere and at the surface during an unprecedented heat wave in the Pacific…
Scorching Heat in Siberia and Europe – Record Low Ice Coverage in Arctic Ocean’s Laptev Sea
While record-breaking heat enveloped the Pacific Northwest in June 2021, other parts of the Northern Hemisphere also saw early-summer temperatures climb. While record-breaking heat scorched the…
Monitoring the Devastating US-Canada Heatwave From Space
While heatwaves are quite common during the summer months, the scorching heatwave hitting parts of western Canada and the US has been particularly devastating –…
Exceptional Heat Hits Pacific Northwest – “Historic and Dangerous”
In June 2021, all-time temperature records fell in multiple cities in the U.S. and Canada during a “historic and dangerous” heatwave. Extraordinary heat events occur…