Title: Extreme Heatwave Sweeps Across Southern US and Mexico, Linked to Climate Change
Introduction:
An unprecedented and deadly heatwave has struck the southern United States and Mexico, with temperatures reaching alarming levels. Nearly 110 million Americans are affected by this extreme heat, leading to tragic consequences for both human life and the environment. Scientists attribute this intense heatwave to the “heat dome” phenomenon, exacerbated by climate change. In this article, we will explore the causes and impacts of the heatwave, delve deeper into the concept of heat domes, and discuss the role of climate change in intensifying extreme weather events.
1. The Unusual Heatwave:
– Temperatures soaring to extreme highs in southern US and Mexico
– Over 100 deaths reported in Mexico; 110 million Americans affected
– Texas experiences record-breaking electricity demand due to increased air conditioning usage
2. Understanding the Heat Dome:
– Heat dome phenomenon occurs when a region of high pressure traps heat
– The US Weather Service attributes the heat dome to changes in the ocean temperature gradient in the Pacific Ocean
– Warm air rises in the western Pacific and is blown eastward, pulled by the jet stream over the US
3. Climate Change and Heat Domes:
– Climate change leads to ocean warming, causing larger waves in the jet stream
– Weakened jet stream patterns result in more persistent and stationary heat domes
– The Arctic’s rapid warming affects the temperature differential, influencing the jet stream’s behavior
4. El Niño’s Impact:
– El Niño, a weather phenomenon associated with Pacific Ocean warming, may influence the current jet stream pattern
– However, scientists argue that El Niño alone does not explain the unprecedented extreme weather conditions observed
5. Record-High Ocean Temperatures:
– The world’s oceans are experiencing record-high temperatures for two consecutive months
– Sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific have recently increased
6. The Link to Climate Change:
– Researchers view the heatwave and warming oceans as evidence of climate change
– Climate change intensifies extreme weather events and disrupts global weather patterns
Conclusion:
The recent devastating heatwave in southern US states and Mexico serves as a stark reminder of the impacts of climate change. The heat dome phenomenon, exacerbated by global warming, has unleashed extreme temperatures and tragic consequences for human health and well-being. It is crucial to acknowledge and address the role of climate change in causing and amplifying such extreme weather events. Action must be taken to mitigate further global warming and its damaging effects on our environment and society.
Summary:
An unprecedented heatwave has struck southern US states and Mexico, leading to over 100 deaths and extreme temperatures. The heat dome phenomenon, caused by changes in ocean temperature gradient and a weakened jet stream, has trapped heat and intensified the heatwave. Climate change is a key factor in the intensification of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, due to the warming of oceans and disruptions in weather patterns. The recent heatwave serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its devastating consequences.
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Nearly 110 million Americans live in an area the US Weather Service has reported as experiencing extreme heat, and at least 100 people are believed to have died in Mexico where temperatures have approached 50°C.
The ‘heat dome’ behind the deadly conditions extended far south and hovered over US states including Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas, leading to warnings of ‘dangerous heat’ would stay until the weekend.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 43C (110F) on the Gulf Coast. In Texas, the heat pushed demand for electricity to a record high as homes and businesses increased air conditioning.
“It’s warmer and more humid than usual,” said David Roth, a National Weather Service forecaster. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be issuing these heat advisories. This is not a common occurrence: it is unusual.
Mexican health officials attributed the deaths of more than 100 people to heatstroke or dehydration in the last half of June as citizens endured a three-week heat wave that stretched network capacity electric.
Scientists have attributed the cause of the high temperatures to the existence of the “heat dome”, a phenomenon that occurs when a region of high pressure traps heat.
The US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has observed that changes in the ocean temperature gradient running from west to east in the Pacific Ocean can create the conditions for a heating dome.
According to NOAA, temperatures in the western Pacific have risen in recent decades relative to the eastern Pacific, causing a pressure difference that causes warm air to rise and blow it east, before being sucked in on land by the northward movements of the jet stream. .
The jet stream, a rapidly moving band of air in the atmosphere, generally moves in a wave pattern. As the waves get larger, they can move more slowly and eventually become stationary, resulting in the trapping of warm or cold air.
Jennifer Francis, senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, said the ocean is warming due to climate change, in turn causing larger waves in the jet stream. “What we’ve seen over the past two months is an extreme level of ripple,” Francis said.
Additionally, the jet stream weakened and developed larger, slower waves as the temperature differential between the Arctic and the rest of the globe decreased, Francis said. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the globe, scientists have found.
“The temperature difference is decreasing, which means that the east-to-west winds of the jet stream are weakening,” Francis said. “As these winds weaken, we tend to see the jet stream take on larger north-south swings and create these larger waves.”
Michael Mann, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, said it was “difficult to analyze the precise roles of the various factors” behind the current thermal dome.
But he added that climate change was causing more persistent ‘blocked’ summer jet stream patterns, which trapped hot air flowing through an area.
More than half of Mexico’s deaths have occurred in the northern Texas state of Nuevo León, where residents lined up to receive bottled water outside a hospital as temperatures soared in arrow © Bloomberg
In June, scientists announced the return of El Niño, a weather phenomenon associated with the warming of the Pacific Ocean. NOAA scientists questioned though the effect would be immediately apparent, however.
“Of course, El Niño is currently impacting large-scale atmospheric circulation and could play a role in the current jet stream pattern,” Mann said. “But El Niño has happened many times before without giving us such unprecedented extreme weather conditions.”
The heat in the United States comes as the world’s oceans hit record high temperatures for two consecutive months, according to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Above normal sea surface temperatures have “recently increased in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific”, he said.
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