![]() The Billion Dollar Weather Disasters database compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lists heat waves as six of the top 10 deadliest U.S. Human HealthĮxtreme heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States, killing an average of more than 600 people per year from 1999-2009, more than all other impacts (except hurricanes) combined. Rising temperatures across the country pose a threat to people, ecosystems, and the economy. This impact is most intense during the day, but the slow release of heat from the infrastructure (or an atmospheric heat island) overnight can keep cities much hotter than surrounding areas. Buildings, roads, and infrastructure absorb heat, leading to temperatures that can be 1 to 7 degrees F hotter in urban areas than outlying areas – a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. Heat can exacerbate drought, and hot, dry conditions can in turn create wildfire conditions. A recent study projects that the annual number of days with a heat index above 100 degrees F will double, and days with a heat index above 105 degrees F will triple, nationwide, when compared to the end of the 20 th century.Įxtreme heat can increase the risk of other types of disasters. The combination of temperature and humidity is measured by the heat index. Heat waves are more dangerous when combined with high humidity. The National Climate Assessment estimates 20-30 more days over 90 degrees F in most areas by mid-century. If greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly curtailed, daily high and low temperatures will increase by at least 5 degrees F in most areas by mid-century, rising to 10 degrees F by late century. West, although in some parts of the country the 1930s still holds the record for number of heat waves (primarily related to the Dust Bowl, which was exacerbated by the conversion of prairie to farmland). Over the past decade, daily record high temperatures have occurred twice as often as record lows across the continental United States, up from a near 1:1 ratio in the 1950s. Heat waves are becoming more common, and intense heat waves are more frequent in the U.S. Across the globe, hot days are getting hotter and more frequent, while we’re experiencing fewer cold days.
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