Eastern US it is the latest hot spot as the world plays the hot potato game.
In the coming days, New York is expected to see temperatures rise to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), but if there is humidity, it could feel like 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). Temperatures in other cities ranging from Detroit to Washington, DC, to Boston will see temperatures 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal as the holiday weekend approaches.
Temperatures will not be as high as they are in Phoenix. But this is not dry heat; coupled with the humidity, anyone who goes outside is sure to feel the equivalent of hanging inside a dog’s mouth. Besides the disadvantages of hot, humid weather, there are also serious health concerns.
Moisture interferes with sweating—the most powerful tool the human body has to cool itself. Sweat removes heat from the body by evaporating into the air, but this is not effective in humid conditions, when the atmosphere is full of water vapor. Richard Allan, climate scientist at the University of Reading says: “When there’s high humidity, especially when it’s cold, it’s harder for the body to cool down.
The National Weather Service’s warning map is a mix of red and pink, and the agency is raising extreme heat warnings and watches. While daytime highs will be visible, nighttime lows will be more problematic.
“Several days in a row of hot temperatures with little relief from low temperatures at night can increase heat stress on the human body,” the NWS warned in its forecast.
That risk was emphasized by the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, who wrote on a social media site that the people of New York must come up with a heating plan. First and foremost that means getting access to air conditioning, and checking on neighbors and people with illnesses that may put them at risk of heat-related health problems.
The extreme heat blast comes a week after Europe experienced record temperatures. (The continent also saw hot temperatures and high humidity in late May.) The burning of fossil fuels has ensured that almost every heat wave is more intense than it would have been in a pre-industrial climate.
“Warming from greenhouse gases clearly adds to global warming, and that adds more heat to heat waves,” Allan said. “It promotes moderate heat to extreme heat … These humid conditions may develop into a hot, humid heat wave rather than just being humid and warm.”
El Niño is another potential culprit in this heat wave.
Natural weather occurs every few years in the tropical Pacific, but it affects the world’s climate. That includes helping to raise temperatures across much of the northern US and parts of Canada. El Niño was declared earlier this month, and is expected to be a strong repeat that will only strengthen as the summer progresses. With the hottest months still to come, that means chances are good that if you missed this opportunity to feel what it’s like inside a dog’s mouth, you’ll have plenty of opportunities.
