Another week, another searing.
A prolonged heat wave continues to grip the Southwest this week, with temperatures forecast in triple digits in what could become the longest heat wave on record, according to the National Weather Service.
This summer is already shaping up to be scorching for much of the country and the world. Last week, global average temperatures set new records or tied existing ones for four days in a row, starting July 3, according to preliminary data from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction.
Phoenix and much of south-central Arizona have been heating up under higher-than-normal temperatures for the second week in a row, with little relief in sight for days to come.
“Phoenix Sky Harbor’s current gust of 110+ degrees per day stands at 10 days, which puts it in seventh place since the late 1890s, when record keeping began.” the NWS said Monday in your area forecast. “With forecast highs of 111 degrees today and 112 degrees Tuesday, this may be our only chance to break the streak for the next week or so.”
temperatures are expected to go up as the week progressesand Phoenix is forecast to hit 115 degrees F on Thursday and Friday.
The sweltering conditions are being caused by a high-pressure heat dome that remains stationary over the region.
Studies have shown that climate change is making heat waves more frequent and more severe. Extreme heat events are also expected to last longer in a warming world.
In addition to human-caused global warming, a natural weather pattern known as El Niño is amplifying extreme weather events.
Occurring when waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean warm more than normal, El Niño can have far-reaching effects on global temperatures and can lead to extreme weather and climate anomalies around the world.
This week in the US, the heat is expected to pick up in the southern part of the country, with hot and humid conditions in Texas and Florida, in particular, according to the NWS.
Heat index values, or how conditions “feel” when humidity and air temperature are combined, could exceed 110 degrees F this week in parts of southern Florida, southern Texas and desert regions. from California, Arizona and New Mexico, the agency said. .
“Hazardous conditions are possible if citizens cannot find relief in air-conditioned buildings,” the NWS said Monday.
Heat causes more deaths in the US each year than any other weather event, according to the NWS. Extreme heat can affect anyone, but children, the elderly, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and people with pre-existing conditions are considered the most vulnerable. Extreme heat events have been associated with increases in cardiovascular, respiratory and renal diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Oppressive” heat and high humidity are also expected across the Central Plains, with the heat index exceeding 100 degrees F in some places, according to the agency.
Many other regions of the world are also experiencing record heat. In China, residents have been battling a prolonged period of dangerously high temperatures, prompting officials in several cities to open bomb shelters to the public to provide relief. youAssociated Press reported.
Authorities in Japan issued the first heat stroke warning of the year for Tokyo on Monday, as temperatures reached 95 degrees F in the capital.
Parts of North Africa are experiencing a brutal heat wave, with temperatures well above 110 degrees F in Algeria, Niger and Morocco in recent days.
Parts of southern Europe are also bracing for sweltering conditions this week, as a heat wave engulfs countries including Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Spain’s state weather office said Monday that certain regions of the country could experience temperatures ranging from 104 to 111 degrees F.
A recently published study in the Nature Medicine Magazine found that last summer was the hottest summer ever recorded in Europe. Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health estimated that 61,672 people died from heat-related illnesses between May 30 and September 4, 2022.
While temperatures are rising on land, the world’s oceans have also been significantly warmer than usual.
A heat dome that has settled over Florida in recent weeks has raised temperatures in the southern part of the state and its coastal waters. On Sunday in the Florida Keys, the water temperature topped 90 degrees F, “almost hot in a hot tub,” writer and environmentalist. Bill McKibben tweeted on Sunday.
Brian McNoldy, a climatologist and principal research associate at the University of Miami, said the waters around the Sunshine State are much warmer than normal for this time of year.
“Okay, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen water around Florida like this… at any time of the year.” McNoldy tweeted on Sunday.
The staggering water temperatures off the Florida coast have numerous implications, as warm water is a key ingredient in fueling strong hurricanes. Record heat in coastal waters can also affect the health of marine ecosystems and coral reefs.
