The reason for the heatwave isn’t yet clear, but there are many factors that contribute to extreme weather. Among them are Climate change, El Nino, and the High-pressure atmospheric system. Human activity also plays a role. We can’t rule out any of these factors, but it’s best to be prepared for extreme weather events and take steps to mitigate their effects.
Climate change
It’s possible that 2022 will set a new global record for the hottest year on record, but that seems unlikely. Currently, the year’s first six months are already the sixth hottest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The next few months may bump 2022 up the list, but the chance of it tying the record is just 11 percent.
Heatwaves are already becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change. Climate scientists have been warning us for years that heatwaves are only going to get worse as the world warms. The most recent heatwaves have been in Western Europe, where the mercury has already broken records and defied climate models. As a result, scientists are scrambling to understand the effects of the increasingly extreme heat.
A major factor in the increasing temperatures is the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These gases trap the sun’s heat, causing the earth to become warmer than it would be otherwise. This, in turn, increases the amount of heat that rises in the atmosphere.
A study by WWA, a nonprofit organization that focuses on global warming and extreme weather, found that the intense heat of June 2021 along the US-Canada border would have been unthinkable without the effects of climate change. Additionally, the heatwaves that struck India and Pakistan this spring were 30 times more likely because of greenhouse gas pollution. Meanwhile, the heatwave in Siberia in 2020 was 600 times more likely.
The heatwave in 2022 will help us better understand the causes of heatwaves, especially the occurrence of more extreme events. Climate scientists such as Erich Fischer, of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, have predicted that these extremes will continue to increase, which could help local authorities prepare for the coming occurrences.
Extreme heat is a symptom of climate change, which causes severe illness and death. Heatwaves are extremely uncomfortable for people who work outdoors, and they also cause electricity grids to overload. And, of course, they disrupt the ability to access food and water. Heatwaves also have a negative impact on the mental health of citizens.
El Nino
While the current El Nino is affecting the Pacific Ocean, the future climate is less certain. In the future, climates could be much warmer, but there is a high chance of extreme droughts and flooding. These conditions could lead to resource depletion and environmental disasters.
The current El Nino has a 3.4-degree anomaly. The index is positive when the pressure is higher in the eastern Pacific Ocean than the western Pacific. This is a sign of a stronger Walker circulation. The Nino3.4 index is the basis for forecasts of early winter weather.
The current sea-surface temperature anomaly over the Pacific is weaker than in recent months. However, the El Nino is still predicted to continue. The current weekly Nino-3.4 index is -0.5degC. The index is derived using different sea surface temperature monitoring datasets. However, most climate models predict that the three-month average of the index will remain below -0.5degC.
While there is a large chance that the El Nino will remain weak, the underlying mechanisms will continue to regulate global temperatures. The current La Nina is expected to last through the fall and into the winter. In addition, the current El Nino is unlikely to cause extreme heat in the United States.
The hot summer is the result of the persistent heat dome in the southern plains. The Gulf of Mexico has also played a role by maintaining warmer water temperatures. On July 10, one reporting station off the coast of Louisiana measured 92 degrees. The heat dome is a reflection of the current ocean temperature pattern.
The first half of the year in 2022 will provide us with an indication of what to expect during the entire year. The data for the first three months of the year will also show what the overall global temperatures will be like. For the remaining months, however, the results are unclear.
A report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reveals that the first six months of 2022 were the sixth warmest on record. The remaining months could push 2022 up the list of warmest years. However, the chances of it making the top five are just eleven percent.
High-pressure atmospheric system
A strong “heatwave” is developing in the Arctic, with surface temperatures in the region up to 30 degrees above the long-term average. This is the result of strong pressure systems in the sub-polar regions that are creating a large air mass transport event. These systems are causing a “wind tunnel” from the north Atlantic into the Polar Circle, creating unusual weather conditions. Climate change is also causing the Arctic region to warm, which increases the probability of heatwaves.
Extreme heatwaves have become increasingly frequent and hotter in recent years. Despite efforts to predict them, it’s difficult to avoid them. The recent June 2021 heatwave in the Pacific Northwest of North America has spurred research into how the atmosphere maintains a balance.
High-pressure atmospheric systems have contributed to heatwaves in the past, especially in Europe and the Pacific Northwest. The high-pressure atmosphere traps heat, creating what meteorologists call “heat domes”. The extreme heat can kill livestock, wild animals, and marine life. It’s also raising water temperatures in the Mediterranean by nine degrees Fahrenheit.
The current heatwave in Europe is caused by the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean. An upper level low-pressure air mass stalled off Portugal, scientists refer to it as a “cutoff low.” The mid-latitude jet stream, a westerly wind river, also plays a major role.
A recent monthly climate outlook by NOAA indicated an exceptionally hot July 2022. The outlook proved to be prescient. Heatwaves swept across Europe and Asia, killing thousands of people in the process. The UK experienced its hottest day on record on July 19.
Researchers are now investigating whether other factors are contributing to the extreme heat. One scientist, Flavio Lehner, says that “we can’t put our faith in weather models to predict extreme events.” He says that “the only reliable way we can be sure that the heatwaves will continue is to look out for a strong high-pressure system over the Great Plains of the United States.
The hot weather is also a major health risk, according to the National Weather Service. Heatwaves can be deadly, with high temperatures causing heatstroke. In fact, heatwaves kill more people each year than any other type of extreme weather.
Human activity
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, a nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C., recently published a study that argues that the human activities we conduct are the main cause of the current global warming. The study analyzed climate models and compared them to simulations that did not include human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases. It found that the recent heatwave in the Netherlands and France is 100 times more likely than it would have been before humans started pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This means that heatwaves will become more intense, more frequent, and longer lasting. And as the number of hot days increases, the number of people who will be exposed to heat is growing too. The report notes that an estimated 30 to 60 million people in the world will face heat waves that are unhealthy.
The study also notes that the increased frequency of heatwaves in the United Kingdom is due to human-caused climate change. Researchers conducted an analysis based on data from the World Climate Research Program and the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 to come up with their conclusions. This study is likely to underestimate the effect of human activity on heatwaves, but it shows that global heatwaves are increasingly severe.
Scientists believe that climate change is the cause of the recent heatwaves in the United States and Europe. The warming of the planet’s temperature will result in more frequent and more intense heatwaves, with some regions experiencing up to four heat waves at a time. In the Pacific Northwest, a record heatwave killed 1,400 people. The researchers warn that extreme heatwave events could become the norm in the future unless humans begin to curb their carbon emissions.
As global temperatures rise and air quality continues to deteriorate, the impact of this heatwave is already being felt. Heatwaves kill people, degrade the air, and lead to a host of health problems. According to researchers, climate change is affecting health and the environment in many ways. The rising disease rates and air quality have major implications for healthcare, agricultural production, and water availability. Furthermore, heatwaves impact economies.
