“Extreme Heat Waves Aren’t Just Summer: How Climate Change is Heating Up the Weather and What We Can Do About It”

The heat wave that swept across the eastern U.S. in June 2024 left more than 100 million people sweating and prompted forecasters to warn of a potential flash drought. This extreme heat wave, caused by a large high-pressure system known as a heat dome, led to abnormally dry conditions in many regions, impacting agriculture, water resources, and energy supplies.

The human impacts of the heat wave were widespread, with emergency room visits for heat-related illnesses surging in Ohio and Pennsylvania, schools in Massachusetts without air conditioning closing, and electric wires sagging in New York and New Jersey, causing train disruptions. The heat wave was unusually early and long-lasting compared to typical patterns for the Northeast U.S., reaching higher into the atmosphere than any previous June event.

This heat wave was part of a global outbreak of early season heat, with record heat hitting countries across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Severe water shortages and dozens of deaths were reported in Mexico and Central America, while over 1,000 people on the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia collapsed and died due to extreme heat. Greece and India also faced dangerously high temperatures, resulting in tourist deaths and affecting millions of people, respectively.

The severity and extent of the heat waves in 2024 are not just a natural part of the climate but are exacerbated by human-caused climate change. The globally averaged temperature is now 2.2 F (1.2 C) warmer than before the industrial revolution, leading to more frequent and intense heat waves. Despite countries’ promises in the Paris Agreement to keep warming well under 2 C, current government policies are not on track to meet those goals.

Vulnerable populations, including young children, older adults, and outdoor workers, face increased risks from extreme heat, especially in lower-income neighborhoods where air conditioning may be unaffordable. The economic impacts of extreme heat include transit delays, disruptions, and overloaded electric systems leading to blackouts.

While the future in a warming world may seem daunting, there are solutions available. The U.S. has made progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and transitioning to renewable energy sources like heat pumps and geothermal systems can help mitigate the effects of climate change. Urgent action to rapidly reduce fossil fuel emissions is crucial to avoid a warmer future with even worse heat waves and droughts.

Overall, there is hope that with collective action and urgency, humanity can limit future warming and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The time to act is now to ensure a sustainable and resilient future for all.