If you had a tough time with the record-breaking heat that swept the country last summer – you are likely to find it tougher this year.
The summer of 2023 was the hottest since scientists began keeping records in 1850. In fact, evidence indicates it was the hottest in the last 2,000 years. In addition, the heat streak that began last summer has never let up. For 12 straight months, we have seen record highs around the world.
As a result, this summer is set to beat last summer’s record heat wave.
Summer Heat Begins
Saturday (June 1st) was the meteorological beginning of summer. It also marks the beginning of rising seasonal temperatures.
Late last week the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a forecast for the first extreme heat event of the summer. Sometime between June 4 – 8, the NWS expects a heat dome to set up over central California and the Great Basin. As a result, drought is expected in that area.
Temperatures under the heat dome are expected to reach 10 to 20 degrees above normal, according to the NWS, In addition, the forecasts show triple-digit temperatures across the west and parts of Texas.
Heat on Trend
Climate Central, a climate research group, has taken a look back over the past 54 years to analyze temperature trends in 241 U. S. locations. It found that summer temperatures in 230 locations increased an average of 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1970.
Further Climate Central research determined that 139 locations (almost 60 percent) experience 14 more days of elevated summer heat than they did in 1970. In addition, 46 places experience 30 or more days of above-normal heat.
Health Risk of Extreme Heat
Excessive heat is not only uncomfortable – it can be deadly.
When your body temperature reaches 106 – your life is at risk. At that temperature, you may suffer permanent disability. Your organs begin to shut down and death will follow unless you get immediate medical help.
From 2003 to 2018, over 10,000 Americans suffered heat-related deaths, according to the Joint Economic Committee. Last year exceeded that number. According to Texas A&M researchers it is estimated that about 11,000 people died from heat-related causes in 2023.
Human Economic Impact
A Center for American Progress study last year estimates that heat-related healthcare costs are about $1 billion dollars a year. The most vulnerable groups are infants, children, seniors, those with other health issues, outdoor workers and homeless people.
In addition to increasing the burden on health care, extreme heat is taking a toll on the economy as a whole.
A 2021 study found that at 90 degrees Fahrenheit, labor productivity fell 25 percent. At 100 degrees, productivity tumbled 70 percent.
An Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center report determined that heat-related labor-productivity losses are expected to reach half a trillion dollars annually by 2050. At the same time, the report estimates that extreme heat will claim nearly 60,000 lives a year by 2050.
High Heat’s Impact on Transportation
- Roadway Blowups
Temperatures of 90 degrees or above present the risk of roadways buckling or exploding, according to AccuWeather. High heat contributes to and expands cracks in pavement. That leads to buckling and warping.
A 2019 heatwave in Kansas City, Mo resulted in the state’s Department of Transportation issuing a warning for motorists to look for “blowups on roadways”.
- Grounding Airplanes
In addition to blowing holes in roads, excessive heat can do the same damage to airport runways. However, there is another heat factor that can lead to canceled flights.
To get airborne, planes need lift – the aerodynamic force that gets them off the ground. Extreme temperatures decrease air density which makes it more difficult to create lift.
The problem is increasing. One Columbia University study suggests that high heat could force airplanes to reduce weight by 10 to 30 percent to get lift.
Stating the Obvious
Weather has always affected humanity. It has an impact on what we wear when we go out and what we do when we get to our destination. However, the weather is changing. Temperatures are rising and staying hot longer. That means we must adapt. As Marcel Proust wrote, “A change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves.”
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