Sydney, Australia, experienced its hottest August day since 1995, according to a recent article published in the Guardian. As global temperatures rise, major cities are facing record-breaking heat waves.
What's happening?
Sydney experienced an unusually warm end to its winter, as the city's official weather station at Observatory Hill recorded a temperature of 88.86 degrees Fahrenheit (31.6 degrees Celsius) this past August at the Sydney Airport.
According to reports by the Guardian, the city's overall record for August was 88.34 degrees Fahrenheit (31.3 degrees Celsius) in 1995.
Other cities in Australia also endured the heat, with Brisbane reaching temperatures of 85.64 degrees Fahrenheit (29.8 degrees Celsius), which is significantly higher than the city's average August temperature of 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius).
"Despite some typically cool winter temperatures at times on the east coast, winter has been warmer than usual across the country, with August on track to be Australia's warmest August on record," the Bureau of Meteorology told the Guardian.
On top of the rising temperatures, parts of Australia also experienced high winds, causing the bureau to issue a severe weather warning for the southeastern part of the country. South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales were all under watch for high wind forecasts.
In some areas, such as Sydney and the Illawarra, the high heat and windy weather meant high fire danger, according to the BoM meteorologist Jonathan How.
Why are rising temperatures important?
While extreme weather events have always been a part of Earth's climate history, rising global temperatures are a new pattern with more devastating effects on the environment and human safety. Scientists have established that human-driven factors, such as dirty energy, emit harmful pollutants into the atmosphere that cause extreme weather events, including more powerful hurricanes, heat waves, and earthquakes.
More powerful storms and hotter temperatures are especially dangerous for vulnerable populations. To better protect local communities from extreme weather events, it's necessary to transition away from dirty energy sources and toward clean power.
What's being done about rising temperatures?
Scientists and policymakers are speaking out against individuals who denounce the impact of rising global temperatures. As articles highlight the trajectory of hotter temperatures, climate awareness is becoming more common.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
