New Study Shows Significant Change in Heatwaves in USA and Mexico

A group of scientists conducted a study on the recent heatwaves experienced in the US and Mexico – and concluded that we’re at the height of a climate crisis. Full story. 

A Hot Topic 

Between May and early June this year, at a time when the US heatwave was centered in southwest states such as California, Nevada, and Arizona, a group of scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) implemented a study on excess heat. 

Day and Night Heat? 

The team consisted of researchers from the US, Mexico, Panama, the UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden. 

For five days, the maximum temperatures that the selected regions experienced (both day and night) were examined. The scientists ran a model to determine how it could be influenced by climate change. 

Is Climate Change Real? 

The aim of this study, according to Dr. Friederike Otto of the WWA, was to obtain an answer – as fast as possible – to a question that usually pops up during extreme climate events: is this because of climate change? 

Getting Warmer 

During the five-day study, maximum temperatures were approximately 1.4°C higher during the day and 1.6°C higher at night.

Izidine Pinto, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and one of the co-authors who participated in the study, pointed out: “However, we must remember that this is the average for the North and Central American region: in some areas of Mexico, there were even more unusual heat records, in which climate change led to up to 2°C more”. 

Too Much to Bear 

The scientists were careful to emphasize the dangers of high night-time temperatures in their study, as it’s a crucial threat to one’s health. This is because the body is not given time to rest and recover. 

Although the study has not yet been reviewed by peers, the methodology that it made use of has. 

Back in the Cooler Days 

Based on their findings, the scientists are stating that we are currently at the height of a climate crisis. In 2000, such dangerous temperatures in the region were predicted to occur once every 60 years during May and June.

That means that such extreme weather would only be experienced once in a lifetime.  

It Will Happen Again 

But now that global warming has been recorded, the study concludes that such heat is to be expected once every 15 years – meaning a person will have to go through such dangerously high temperatures five to six times in their life. 

Millions Are Suffering 

Referring to the southwest of the US, the WWA study clarifies that “more than 34 million people live in areas where authorities have issued heat alerts and dozens have suffered heat exhaustion at political rallies”.   

Literally a Hot Spot 

The scientists also found that these hazardous heatwaves are 35 times more likely to strike in North- and Central America due to climate change caused by human activities. 

Not just the US 

Right below the US border, Mexico has also experienced one of the worst heat waves recorded over the past two months. 

At the end of May, it was reported that over 150 howler monkeys had died in the municipality of Cunduacán, located north of the state of Tabasco. This was because they were unable to adapt to the extremely high temperatures. 

Death Count 

Since March this year, no fewer than 125 deaths due to heat exhaustion have been reported, in addition to about 2,308 cases of heat stroke. 

In southern Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, a record maximum temperature of 125°F was reported on June 13th. 

The US Is Unprepared 

Various factors played a role in the extreme heat currently being suffered in the region, according to the scientists. “The area has been lying under a large and lingering region of high pressure, known as a heat dome,” the study states. 

Warm Soil 

Making matters worse is the fact that Mexico was experiencing a drought that refused to allow moisture into the soil. This produced a feedback loop which is when the heat worsens the drought, which then again exacerbates the heat. 

Even the Oceans 

In addition, the surface temperatures of both the Pacific- and Atlantic oceans were recorded as being above average. This boosted the humidity and increased the discomfort which worsens the already extreme temperatures. 

Linked to Politics 

The recent excessive heatwaves have caused many to ponder how climate change will be affected should Donald Trump, who refers to global warming as “an expensive hoax”, win the US presidential election in November. 

Trump has repeatedly railed against President Joe Biden’s climate policies at rallies and ridiculed clean energy. He has also vowed to push America back to fossil fuels. 

Funds for Trump 

According to the Washington Post, Trump has also openly courted the oil industry at fundraising events and promised regulation rollbacks in turn for campaign funding. 

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also told CNN in a statement: “No one has done more damage to the American oil and gas industry than Joe Biden”.

What Will Happen? 

Leavitt continued that should Trump get elected as president he would award the oil industry “more freedom”. He also referred to the planet-warming fossil fuel as “liquid gold” and “clean energy.” She made it clear that “He will do that again as soon as he gets back to the White House”.

EVs for Everyone 

When it comes to America’s climate pollution, gas-powered cars and trucks are the no. 1 culprits. One of Biden’s biggest climate- and economic policies happens to be his push toward electric vehicles. 

Sooner Than We Think? 

Democrats have passed tax credits so that consumers can cover the cost of electric vehicles. Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency also finalized tailpipe rules, helping to point the auto market toward fuel-efficient hybrids and electric vehicles by the early 2030s. 

Republicans Not Convinced 

Trump and his Republican party have referred to Biden’s actions as a “mandate” for electric vehicles, which Trump calls “all-electric nonsense where the cars don’t go too far” and a “bloodbath” for American jobs.

If he’s elected, Trump has promised to undo the tailpipe rules, even though it could take months. 

The Harsh Truth 

Regarding the WWA study, Pinto says: “The results of our study should be taken as another warning that our climate is heating to dangerous levels”.  

“As long as humans fill the atmosphere with fossil fuel emissions, the heat will only get worse – vulnerable people will continue to die and the cost of living will continue to increase”.  

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Bartolomiej Pietrzyk.