The world experienced its warmest June through August on record. This made for a scorching summer in the Northern Hemisphere, with several heat waves that raised the risk of related health issues.
What's happening?
A record-breaking hot streak started in late May in Phoenix and continued throughout the summer. Temperatures in Arizona's capital, home to more than 1.6 million people, exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 113 straight days. Phoenix is in Maricopa County, where health officials reported 283 heat-related deaths through Sept. 26, with another 381 deaths still under investigation.
Japan had its hottest July on record, which was 2.2 degrees Celsius (3.9 F) warmer than average. More than 120 people died of heatstroke in the Tokyo metropolitan area during the month, the largest number of heatstroke victims there since 127 died during a 2018 heat wave, according to the city's medical examiner. Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that more than 37,000 people were treated at hospitals for heatstroke during July.
Even Alaska suffered this summer, as Fairbanks hit 90 degrees in late July.
Heat has been the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States for at least 30 years. A study by Penn State University found that people can't tolerate as much heat and humidity as previously thought.
Why are prolonged heat waves important?
Record global temperatures are more likely during El Niño events, but the eastern Pacific Ocean warming anomaly doesn't alone explain the record heat this year. "Human emissions of greenhouse gases effectively add a permanent El Niño worth of heat every decade," climate scientist Zeke Hausfather said, per Saima S. Iqbal of Scientific American.
The story noted there are a number of possible side effects of our warming climate. Sewers could struggle to accommodate increased rainfall, for example. "Our body won't be able to tolerate as much time outdoors—or indoors without air-conditioning—as heat waves grow more intense and frequent," Iqbal wrote.
According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, increasing temperatures and heat waves have raised mortality and morbidity. Health experts say there are higher death rates among people who live alone and are socially isolated.
What's being done about more intense heat waves?
Cities are getting creative about coping with heat waves. Phoenix has been using a sort of sunscreen for its roads. The special light-colored coating can cool the pavement by more than 10 degrees. Los Angeles has been painting streets white for the past five years. The reflective coating cools the road's surface and surrounding area.
Reducing planet-warming pollution from dirty energy sources can help cool our planet. An easy way we can start is by simply unplugging energy-greedy appliances. Installing solar panels can lower utility bills while also lowering the amount of heat-trapping gases entering our atmosphere.
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