America is warming up. And not only because of the high temperatures that come with summer, but because, on June 20, the America’s Cup to North American territory and the experts consulted by the Voice of America warn of heat waves for which fans must be prepared.
According to estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US will experience a hotter than normal summer this year, which will be felt more intensely in the northeastern area, which includes the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and a large swath of the west (California, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada) of the country. It is even expected to break the records set in 1936.
Precisely, according to the National Weather Service, this week, the southwestern United States broke heat records.
Rodney Martínez, representative of the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, in general terms, explained in an interview with the VOA that since last year the Atlantic Ocean has been recording temperature records not only in the tropical Atlantic, but also in the part of the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic.
So, he added, “these temperatures that the ocean is recording are truly unprecedented, they are records and they are giving a lot of energy to the system and that means that, in the case of the northern hemisphere, a summer with high temperatures is expected.”
Forecast models, in general, for the northern hemisphere indicate, for the months of June and July, increases between one and two or more degrees above the average. In this sense, the probability of severe heat events and, possibly, the occurrence of heat waves is very high.
The heat index, which measures what is actually felt, taking into account the relative humidity in a given place, could reach 47º Celsius in a part of California, such as in the valley.
What are heat waves?
Rodríguez explained that, under normal conditions, when the temperature increases during the day, the heat that is stored dissipates at night, the minimum temperature drops and that heat dissipates, because the next day the heating cycle returns again.
But, when there is a heat wave, “this drop in temperature does not occur. That is, the minimum temperature increases and that heat that is believed not to have dissipated the previous day accumulates for the next day.”
That is, heat accumulates and, on many occasions, triggers temperatures that can last for days or even months, and are increasingly frequent phenomena in different parts of the world.
An opinion shared by Joanne Pérodin, general director of climate equity at The Cleo Institute, who noted that, in addition, “heat waves are not only getting hotter, but they are also lasting longer. Besides, There is the heat dome, which is a bubble of hot, high-pressure air that suppresses clouds and rain.”
“Several states such as California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas have experienced heat waves this year. Experts are predicting more heat waves this year compared to previous years,” he added.
For her part, Carlota Sarmiento, environmental consultant and engineer and science teacher, told the VOA that this period is often accompanied by humidity, which “can be dangerous, especially for vulnerable populations” and added that it must be taken into account that the start of the Copa América coincides with the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and, with it, the arrival of the hottest season of the year.
How to take care of yourself?
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2,300 people who died in the US, last summer, were affected by excessive heat. This is the highest number in 45 years of records.
In principle, experts recommend obtaining information from official meteorology sources.
If a heat wave occurs, Rodríguez advises taking special protection and hydration measures for the general population, but with special attention to the most vulnerable people, such as those of the elderly, those with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, children, among others. .
“That is, refrigerate the areas where these people are. Restrict walks outdoors, especially when exposed to a lot of sun” and wear light clothing, added the WMO expert.
In addition, stay very well hydrated, use sunscreen, seek air conditioning, if possible, or shade, and be aware of friends, neighbors, and family, the engineer added.
Pérodin also advises keeping the home cool, avoiding strenuous activities during the hottest hours of the day, and not leaving children or animals in parked vehicles for any period of time, as temperatures can quickly reach dangerously high levels.
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