July 2022 European heat wave (week 2)

In 2022, several areas of the world experienced heat waves. Heat waves were especially notable in East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Australia, western Europe, the United States, and southern South America. 2022 heat waves accounted for record-breaking temperatures and, in some regions, heat-related deaths. Heat waves were worsened by the effects of climate change, and they exacerbated droughts and wildfires.

Background and effects

Due to climate change, heat waves and other extreme weather events are longer and more intense.[1][2][3] In many places, heat waves were accompanied by droughts and wildfires.[2][3]

Heat waves and droughts affected water supplies, rivers (along with shipping and nuclear reactor cooling), ecosystems, various global supply chains, health, and agriculture worldwide.[4][5][6][7]

By region

Africa

Tunisia

On 13 July in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, the temperature reached 48 °C (118 °F), worsening wildfires in the country.[8][9]

Australia

In 14 January in Onslow, Western Australia, the temperature hit 50.7 °C (123.3 °F). If verified, the temperature would be tied as the highest in the Southern Hemisphere.[10] From 18 to 23 January, Perth experienced six consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 40 °C (104 °F). Perth had eleven days of temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) during the 2021–2022 summer, topping the previous record of seven days recorded in 2016–2017.[11] In early March, a strong heat wave affected Northern Australia, and in particular North Queensland, with Townsville equalling or beating its previous March minimum temperature record five times in one week.

Asia

China

During 2022, China suffered several heat waves, starting 5 July. According to the China Meteorological Administration, Turpan was expected to reach 50 °C (122 °F) between 25 and 31 July.[12] China experienced large blackouts[13] and experimented with cloud seeding among other measures, despite experts stating it would be "marginally effective" and possibly exacerbate problems.[14]

India and Pakistan

Starting in late March, India and Pakistan began experiencing one of the hottest periods on record.[15] At least 90 people were killed by the heat wave; 25 in India and 65 in Pakistan.[16]

Japan

On 29 June 2022, Japan saw its worst heat wave in 150 years.[17]

Europe

Heat waves affecting Europe began in June.

Spain

The Spanish heat wave began on 12 June. Spain restricted air conditioning to defined temperature ranges.[18]

United Kingdom

In a heat wave beginning on 8 July, the United Kingdom saw its first ever red extreme heat warning, with a national emergency declared on 15 July.[19] An unconfirmed report from the Met Office on 19 July indicated a new record temperature for the United Kingdom, 40.3 °C (104.5 °F). This is the first time the temperature exceeded 40 °C (104 °F) in the United Kingdom.[20]

North America

United States

From 8 to 11 February, multiple cities in central and southern California experienced a record-breaking heat wave. San Francisco recorded 26 °C (78 °F) on 10 February, an all-time record for the city for meteorological winter. Palm Springs recorded 34 °C (93 °F) on 11 February.[21]

A historic heat wave affected the Midwest and Southeast in the second week of June. On 13 June, more than 125 million people under excessive heat warnings.[22] Following a brief respite 18 June, the heat wave returned into the following days.[23]

An intense, fatal heat wave swept through the United States in July. More than 100 million people were under heat alert, and over 85% of the country had temperatures at or above 32 °C (90 °F). This extreme heat severely intensified drought conditions.[24] The heat wave was responsible for at least 19 deaths, including 12 in Maricopa County, Arizona.[25]

Another heat wave moved across the United States in early August, with 80 million Americans under heat alerts.[26]

The US Bureau of Reclamation said in June that those in the Colorado River Basin would have to create plans to reduce water usage. By the August 15 deadline, the mandate was not being followed and the federal government did not have plans to follow up. Also in August, the US federal government announced that Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico would have to reduce water usage, per a previously negotiated agreement. These cuts were much less than those prescribed by the Bureau of Reclamation.[27]

A record-breaking heat wave shattered records across the Eastern United States on 5–7 November.[28] On 7 November, several places set monthly high temperature records.[29][30][31]

South America

Southern Cone

From 10 to 16 January, the Southern Cone had a severe heat wave. Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and certain parts of Brazil experienced extreme temperatures, with Argentina suffering the worst impacts.[32] According to the World Meteorological Organization, it affected water, energy supply, and agriculture.[33] Buenos Aires reached 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) and more than 700,000 people lost power.[34] Parts of Argentina reached 45 °C (113 °F).[35][32]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pulver, Dinah Voyles. "Extreme heat waves may be our new normal, thanks to climate change. Is the globe prepared?". USA Today via phys.org.
  2. 1 2 "Analysis | Droughts Don't Have to Be This Painful". Washington Post. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 "How 'heat officers' plan to help cities survive ever-hotter summers". Washington Post. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  4. ↑ Buckley, Julia (14 August 2022). "Europe's drought could signal the death of river cruising". CNN. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  5. ↑ Meynen, Nick (1 September 2022). "What the droughts expose". META. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  6. ↑ "Heatwave in China is the most severe ever recorded in the world". New Scientist. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  7. ↑ Swanson, Ana; Bradsher, Keith (8 September 2022). "Climate Change Could Worsen Supply Chain Turmoil". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  8. ↑ Dunne, Daisy (26 October 2022). "Analysis: Africa's unreported extreme weather in 2022 and climate change". Carbon Brief. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  9. ↑ "Heatwaves and Fires Scorch Europe, Africa, and Asia". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "Australia hits 123 degrees, tying highest temperature on record in Southern Hemisphere". The Washington Post. 13 January 2022.
  11. ↑ Paul Karp (23 January 2022). "Perth swelters through record six consecutive days over 40C temperatures". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  12. ↑ Woo, Ryan (22 July 2022). "Heatwaves to menace China as almanac's 'big heat' day looms". Reuters. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  13. ↑ Gan, Nectar (26 August 2022). "China's worst heat wave on record is crippling power supplies. How it reacts will impact us all". CNN. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  14. ↑ Baraniuk, Chris. "To Fight Severe Drought, China Is Turning to Technology". Wired. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  15. ↑ Forister, Peter (26 April 2022). "Heatwave in India breaks records, still worsening". earthsky.org. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  16. ↑ "Severe heat wave kills dozens in India and Pakistan in a "snapshot" of what's to come from climate change, expert says". cbsnews.com. 9 May 2022.
  17. ↑ "Japan swelters in worst heatwave ever recorded". BBC News. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Sullivan, Will. "Spain Restricts Use of Air Conditioning in Public Places". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Heatwave: National emergency declared after UK's first red extreme heat warning". BBC News. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Record breaking temperatures for the UK". Met Office. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  21. ↑ Travis, Courtney (11 February 2022). "Winter heat wave sets all-time February record highs in California cities". AccuWeather. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  22. ↑ Freedman, Andrew (13 June 2022). "Record-breaking heat wave envelops nearly 130 million in U.S." Axios. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  23. ↑ Chinchar, Allison (18 June 2022). "Get ready for triple-digit temperatures again, as massive heat dome engulfs the US". CNN. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  24. ↑ Elamroussi, Aya; Andone, Dakin; Vera, Amir (21 July 2022). "Dangerously high temperatures will last through the weekend with millions of Americans set to experience triple-digit heat". CNN. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  25. ↑ Sabes, Adam (23 July 2022). "Heat wave responsible for multiple deaths across US". Fox News. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  26. ↑ "Heat triggers alerts for more than 80 million in central, eastern U.S." Washington Post. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  27. ↑ Sullivan, Will. "Western States Are Fighting Over How to Conserve Shrinking Water Supply". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  28. ↑ Aason, Eric (6 November 2022). "A November heat wave shatters high-temperature records across New England". Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  29. ↑ Levingston, Ian (7 November 2022). "November feels like September as warm weather shatters records in East". Washington Post. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  30. ↑ "CT sees record high temperature Monday, by next week a chill headed our way". Hartford Courant. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  31. ↑ Unseasonably warm weather breaks records around DMV, CNS Maryland, 10 November 2022
  32. 1 2 Bustamante, Juan; Lo Bianco, Miguel (14 January 2022). "Argentine towns sizzle amid 'hottest days in history'". Reuters. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  33. ↑ WMO [@wmo] (12 January 2022). "#Argentina's #heatwave is impacting health, energy and water supplies, agriculture (and more). It reached 41.1°C in the capital Buenos Aires at 1600 yesterday, per @SMN_Argentina. Córdoba recorded temperature of 42.5°C. #Climatechange increases intensity and frequency of heatwaves" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  34. ↑ Cappucci, Matthew (12 January 2022). "Buenos Aires hits 106 degrees amid severe South American heat wave". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  35. ↑ "Power grid fails as Argentina hit by record-breaking heatwave". The Independent. 12 January 2022.
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