A searing heatwave hits the northwestern United States of America and western Canada. This part of the world is more used to cool weather, said the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson. Temperatures are more likely to go as high as 45C by day for another five days, so there are more likely to be warmer warm nights in the future.
The early summer heatwave has reached above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for days on end in some places. This event made for another climate extreme for residents of a region that has been at a receiving end with a devastating drought and with harrowing memories of last year’s horrific wildfire season, which is still fresh on people’s minds.
Temperatures Breaking All Records
Canada’s all-time temperature record was smashed on Sunday in Lytton, British Columbia, recording a temperature as high as 46.6C. This high-temperature reading when on to break the last record by a full 1.6C.
After clocking in the 24 hours, the temperatures soared once again. This time the reading was at 47.9C. The searingly high temperatures are all the more startling because it is in British Columbia, which is ensconced by the Rocky Mountains, the Glacier National Park. Yet, the temperatures resemble the Middle East or North Africa.
Posing As a Major Threat
Such high temperatures can pose a big risk to people’s health, agriculture, and the environment. And that is because such high temperatures are new to this region. Besides that, most people do not have air conditioning.
However, WMO has issued a fair number of warnings to protect those particularly vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
Relief Towards the Weekend?
As per the Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan, the higher temperatures are much like to peak in the week near the coast. They are likely to impact British Columbia’s interior. However, the extreme heat may shift towards the east towards Alberta.
The North West Territories and Yukon have been able to record the highest temperatures. And this is not only in June but has been able to clock a record high in the entire year.
The Reason Behind the Sudden HeatWave
WMO’s representative says that the extreme heat is because of the atmospheric blocking pattern, creating something called the heat dome, which is in the low pressure on either side.
Normally, you experience a jet stream, a high-moving wind belt that nudges the weather forward. However, it is not happening this time. The high heat is causing a pressure cooker situation, causing unbearable high heat.
The Heatwave Continues to Hit All of USA
The current heatwave follows another intense hot period. And it was seen in the last two weeks ago that hit the US desert Southwest and California, clocking in extremely high temperatures.
The other parts of the northern hemisphere have met with a similar high heat fate. It has hit places like North Africa, Eastern Europe, Iran, and the northwestern Indian continent. The surge of heat has spared none of the countries mentioned here.
Daily temperatures have crossed the previous high thresholds of 45C in several locations, and it continued to heat Sahara with 50C. The extreme temperatures have been more or less a global phenomenon. Even unusual places such as Western Russia and the areas around the Caspian Sea have clocked similar high temperatures. This is a result of a large area of high pressure.
Moscow the New ‘HotSpot’
While Moscow is one of the coolest regions globally, the temperatures in this part of the world have been nothing short of baffling. It has been scaling mid-30C by day, and the nighttime temperature has only been slightly lower at 20C at night. According to the WMO, the area around the Caspian Sea will experience temperatures reaching the mid-40C and remain above 25C.
The heatwave is likely to create havoc smashing all previous records of high temperatures. Climate change is real, and the scary thing is that human-caused climate change has increased global temperatures to 1.2 degrees celsius higher than the pre-industrial records. There is every reason not to take this lightly, and it is upon us to reduce the human-induced climate change as much as possible? Is it possible to reverse the damage now? Do share your thoughts in the comments section!