climate change: Is climate change leading to frequent and high intensity heat waves in North America?

North America continues to be gripped by a heat wave. The heatwave that began in May and continues to affect day to day life in the central and eastern states of the US has already killed many others in Mexico. According to the scientists, this was made 35 times more likely because of anthropogenic factors causing climate change. Human induced activities such as burning of fossil fuels has caused this issue. In neighboring Mexico, this heatwave has already killed 125 people and led to thousands of heatstroke cases. There is bad news as this heatwave like conditions will only intensify if human induced activities do not reduce, according to scientists. This study was conducted by World Weather Attribution which is an international collaboration of scientists who study climate change.

Record high temperatures:

It was found that record breaking temperatures were being recorded frequently in the US, Mexico and Central America due to climate change. The study focused on the South-West USA and Mexico as well as Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras where temperatures were also extreme. This heat has not been confined to the US and North America alone, the month of May was the hottest globally among all years. Temperatures across the globe are increasingly having disastrous consequences for the planet affecting health of individuals, agricultural systems, increasing sea levels and melting glaciers. What is a heat dome?
Heat dome has played a major role in the heat waves that have occurred. Heat domes occur when hot air is trapped close to the ground and it is further heated under the blue skies and sunshine. The report by World Weather Attribution has noted that the areas which experienced heat wave like conditions were under heat domes. The study also noted that heat waves such as the one which was experienced is four times more likely to occur today than it was in the year 2000. Since 2000, temperatures have increased by 1.4 degrees.

FAQs:

What is the urban heat island effect?
This is a concept wherein urban centers experience higher temperatures than country side. This is due to the various construction activities, high rise buildings and higher emission rates in cities that increase temperatures as compared to the rural areas. What is the Paris deal?
It was signed in 2015 to keep the global temperatures under check. 194 parties agreed to prevent the rise of global temperature by more than 2 degrees from the pre-industrial level.