More than 50 million people in the U.S. are under heat warnings

This Monday (July 24, 2023), 59,610,255 people, 17% of the US population, A heat warning has been issued across the country.

Since the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the US has faced heat waves. you The southern states of the country are the most affected.

In June, heat waves broke records in the United States. The island of Puerto Rico recorded its hottest month in more than 120 years. Texas has had the hottest 19 days in state history. Further north in the country, parts of Michigan, New York and Vermont also broke daily temperature records.

On July 11, the White House released a statement “The situation is critical and a community-wide response is needed to ensure communities have the support they need to plan, prepare and recover from these extreme weather events.”. Here it is Full (136 KB, in English).

Thursday (July 20) saw the highest number of people on alert for the month, with 123,391,988 or 37% of the population on alert for high temperatures.

According to data from Noah (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Florida are the hardest hit states this Monday (July 24), with some regions expected to record between 39 ºC and 51 ºC.

According to the organization, these temperatures can cause heat cramps and fatigue, as well as heat stroke after prolonged exposure to the sun or performing physical exercises outdoors.

According to EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), heat is the leading cause of climate-related deaths in the United States, although most heat-related deaths are preventable through prevention and intervention.

According to the agency, more than 11,000 people died from heat-related causes in the country between 1979 and 2018, most of them during the summer season (May to September).

Heat in the world

The day was recorded by the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine, USA July 6 is the hottest day of the year, when the global average temperature reached 17.23 ºC. This is the 3rd highest in a single week in 2023. The last daily record was in August 2016, when the average global temperature reached 16.92 ºC.

In 2023 alone, more than 100 people died in Mexico as high temperatures reached 49ºC. On the African continent, thermometers have recorded around 50 degrees Celsius.

Caused by rising temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere El Nino. Weather phenomenon This is Recorded when the waters of the Pacific Ocean are warmer than normal. The difference in surface temperature of the oceans with the atmosphere causes the trade winds (which blow from east to west) to lose strength and speed. The combination of these factors (weaker winds and higher water temperatures) causes changes in the transport of moisture from one part of the Earth to another. El Nino can occur at intervals of 2 to 7 years.

For the period 2023 to 2027, there is a 66% probability that the mean annual global temperature will be more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial temperatures for at least 1 year during that period.