Scientists name heat waves for the first time
Scientists named heat waves for the first time. They called it Zoe.
According to USA Today (opens in new tab)Scientists in Spain gave the name to a heatwave that saw temperatures soar to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 degrees Celsius) in Seville from July 24th to July 27th. , José María Martín Olaja, associate professor in the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Seville, told the newspaper.
Hurricanes have long had personal names, but in 2012 the unofficial practice of giving nicknames to winter storms emerged in the United States. But Zoe is the first heat wave to be named.Name is proMETEO Sevilla Project, the Adrian Arsht Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center of the Atlantic Council, an initiative of Washington-based research centers and non-profit organizations. Seville is the pilot location for this project, which aims to raise public awareness of extreme heat and advocate for efforts to reduce the danger of heatwaves.
Related: How heat waves kill fast
A heat wave is more than just a hot day. These are defined by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) as episodes of at least three consecutive days during July and August between 1971 and 2000 in which at least 10% of the weather stations record maximum temperatures above the 95th percentile. It has been. The single definition of a heat wave in the United States is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a benchmark of at least two days from 1981 to 2010 when the daily minimum temperature in July and August exceeds the 85th percentile.
Heatwaves can be dangerous, especially for vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those doing manual labor outdoors.World Health Organization Calculated in 2018 Between 2000 and 2016, the number of people exposed to extreme heat increased by 125 million each year. in July, The temperature in England has surpassed 104 degrees 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time ever. This level of heat can be deadly, especially in areas without air conditioning and buildings constructed to withstand high temperatures.
The heat wave continues in the United States. climate changeToday (August 15), the non-profit First Street Foundation published the report It highlights where extreme heat is likely to become more common in the coming decades. Their modeling suggests that the deep South, southern Arizona, and southern to central California will experience the most extreme changes. For example, Miami-Dade County, Florida, could have 34 days above 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) by 2053, compared to his 7 today.
Related: What is the impact of global warming?
Eight million people in the U.S. will experience a heat index above 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.6 degrees Celsius) this year, while a staggering 107 million people are expected to experience that temperature by 2053. The nonprofit has found that (The heat index accounts for humidity to adjust how a given temperature affects the human body. The higher the humidity, the warmer a given temperature will feel.)
Zoe may be the first to be named a heat wave, but it won’t be the last. Spanish officials plan to alternate female and male names in reverse alphabetical order as a measure against future heat. By naming the heat wave, proMETEO Sevilla hopes to let the public know that it requires special attention, he reported USA Today. In extreme heat, WHO recommends keeping windows open at night to let in cool air and blocking light during the day to keep you cool. Special care should be taken to keep young children, people over 60, or those with chronic health conditions cool.
Originally published in Live Science.
