What are the Global Impacts of Extreme Heatwaves in 2021?

[Astronuc]

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/how-hot-is-it-2021.1004617/

Now 13 months later. This week is supposed to be the hottest of the year, at least for us locally. The last two days, our backyard thermometer reached about 102.5°F (39.2°C) compared to the local weather station with an official temperature of 94°F (34.4°C). The humidity was 40% during the mid to late afternoon. During the morning, the humidity reaches 90% before sunrise falls to about 60% humidity between 0900 and 1000 local time.

Overnight, the temperature was just below 70°F (21°C). This coming weekend, the predicted high temperature is 97°F (36°C), so we expect the backyard to be about 105°F (40.6°C), which is relatively cool to some other places in N. Africa and southern Europe.

On July 13 in the capital city of Tunis, the temperature reached 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking a 40-year record.

In Iran, temperatures remained high in July after reaching a https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/scorching-middle-east-heat-produces-126-degree-temperature-in-iran/1205633 (126 degrees Fahrenheit) in late June.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150083/heatwaves-and-fires-scorch-europe-africa-and-asia

In Western Europe, which was already experiencing severe drought, the heatwave fueled fires that raged across Portugal, Spain, and parts of France. In Portugal, temperatures reached 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) on July 13 in the town of Leiria, where more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) had burned. More than half of the country was on red alert as firefighters battled 14 active fires.

In China, the summer has brought three heatwaves that have buckled roads, melted tar, and popped off roof tiles. The Shanghai Xujiahui Observatory, where records have been kept since 1873, recorded its highest temperature ever: 40.9 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) on July 13, 2022. High humidity and dewpoints, along with warm overnight temperatures, created potentially deadly conditions.

 

[fresh_42]

Not only in southern Europe. Hamburg has had close to 40°C two days ago. The record for this year so far has been measured at 52° 10′ N with 40°C. The all-time record for Germany is 41.2°C from 2019.

 

[Borek]

Here 33.9°C at the moment, highest this year 36.0°C so far.

 

[DrGreg]

In the UK on Tuesday, a temperature of over 40°C was recorded for the first time since records began. Most of England, apart from the far north and far south-west, wasn't far behind.

Several houses were destroyed by fire on the same day.

 

[Mondayman]

It's only been hovering around 27-32 Celcius here. We actually got some snow in the middle of last month. But the previous two years were scorchers.

 

[PeroK]

The European Alps are dying! After a very dry winter the mountains are melting and crumbling in the heatwave. Many standard mountain routes across the Alps are closed already.

The amount of meltwater from the glaciers is extraordinary and I've never seen glaciers like ponds before.

 

[Rive]

How hot is it?
We just lost a war here

Around a week ago, result of the first night of battle:

And now, by giving up any 'mild' approach after making it through fifteen years without much chemicals:

They are still coming, so even after a gigantic dose of pesticide we completely lost it

The raw temperature (around 40°C) just cannot describe this anymore

 

[Astronuc]

Yesterday, we had the third day of a high temperature of 102.5°F (39.2°C), but a rain cloud moved in and the temperature dropped to the official temperature of 94°F (34.4°C). After a brief rain, the cloud moved on, and the temperature went right back up but only to ~100°F (38°C).

It didn't much last night, perhaps about 70°F (21°C). At 0800, the temperature was 73°F (23°C) and the humidity was 87%. We expect sun all day, and an official high temperature of 97°F (36°C), which would mean during the afternoon our at our house, a temperature of about 105°F (40.6°C).

We are also have a dry spell. We are probably a 2-3 inches (5 - 7.6 cm) behind the 'normal' precipitation levels for the year to date.

 

[Astronuc]

They are still coming . . .

What kind of pests?

 

[Rive]

What kind of pests?

Alticinae something.
Horseradish is the fourth or fifth plant we are losing (=> cannot be grown without extensive and regular chemical intervention) here (mid-Europe) in the last decade

 

[Astronuc]

Also called flea beetles - https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/ORN/BEETLES/flea_beetle.html

Apparently there is one species that frequents brassica plants -
https://www.smartgardener.com/plants/1048-horseradish-horseradish/pests/767-flea-beetle

Maybe use a vacuum cleaner? Use pyrethrins?

 

[Rive]

Use pyrethrins?

Those black patches are ~ cm thick 'pools' of dead bugs... The killing power of this pesticide is already terrifying enough. It's just - the bugs are continuously flooding from somewhere, likely from some big field of something.
No way to compete with such inflow.

 

[Astronuc]

It didn't much last night, perhaps about 70°F (21°C). At 0800, the temperature was 73°F (23°C) and the humidity was 87%. We expect sun all day, and an official high temperature of 97°F (36°C), which would mean during the afternoon our at our house, a temperature of about 105°F (40.6°C).

At 1300 local time, the official temperature was 90°F (32°C) while the outdoor thermometer in the kitchen window (in the shade) indicated 97°F (36°C). At 1330, the official temperature is 92°F (33°C) with 36% humidity, and our outdoor thermometer (backyard in the shade of the house) indicates 99°F (37°C). Looking forward to 1500 to see if we hit what I expect.

 

[dlgoff]

It's 41°C here at my place in Kansas. Going to hate getting my electric bill.

 

[Astronuc]

It's 41°C here at my place in Kansas. Going to hate getting my electric bill.

Maybe you'll be at 42°C in an hour.

Here are 1530 local time, we reached 103°F (39.4°C) while the official temperature is 93°F (34°C). It looks like we have one more °F to get to the peak between 1600 to 1700.

 

[dlgoff]

Maybe you'll be at 42°C in an hour.

Here are 1530 local time, we reached 103°F (39.4°C) while the official temperature is 93°F (34°C). It looks like we have one more °F to get to the peak between 1600 to 1700.

 

[Astronuc]

We had a slight breeze, and I watched the needle of the thermometer move down by ~2°F (1°C) to 101°F (38.3°C), then the breeze stopped and the needle moved back to 102°F (39°C), and now we're back to 103°F (39.4°C).

 

[dlgoff]

We had a slight breeze, and I watched the needle of the thermometer move down by ~2°F (1°C) to 101°F (38.3°C), then the breeze stopped and the needle moved back to 102°F (39°C), and now we're back to 103°F (39.4°C).

Very windy here but isn't helping.
I'm beginning to hate Kansas. I walked outside but couldn't stand if for more than 5 minutes.

 

[dlgoff]

@Astronuc
It's 102°F here now. I'm starting to get really worried as it's hard for me to handle it at 75 years old.

 

[Office_Shredder]

It's been 80+ Fahrenheit for 8 days straight - that's the low of the day, not the high. Highs adds 90+.I watered my yard three times this week and a couple trees are still wilting, because it's just 16 hours a day of blazing hot sun with no clouds.

 

[dlgoff]

I watered my yard three times this week and a couple trees are still wilting, because it's just 16 hours a day of blazing hot sun with no clouds.

My neighbor has trees that have died.

 

[Rive]

it's just 16 hours a day of blazing hot sun with no clouds.

We also has wind. Feels colder at first, but actually it's like a giant hair dryer. Takes away any moisture in minutes

 

[Astronuc]

After we had 103°F (39.4°C) on July 23, we had two more days hitting 102°F (39°C), so four days in a row before we caught a break and the high temperatures were somewhere between 95 and 100°F. Then we had a couple of days of high 80s. That trend reversed this week.

Today, the official high (government weather station) recorded 97°F (36°C), however our backyard thermometer recored 105°F (40.6°C). The humidity was 37% at the high temperature, which occurred about 5 pm. During the hottest part of the day, our backyard is reading about 8°F (4.4°C) hotter than the official record. I think part of that is just due to thermal radiation in the air and from the ground. When a cloud moves between the sun and our back yard, we can see the thermometer respond relatively quickly, within a minute, by 1 or 2°F (0.5 to 1°C) in response to a small or thin cloud. A larger (wider) or thicker cloud can drop the temperature by about 5°F (~3°C), and we begin to converge with the official reported temperature.

I think we've peaked at about 108°F (42°C) a few years ago, and it was probably late July or early August.

Meanwhile, there was a flood warning further north due to heavy rains associated with a line of thundershowers. We saw some cumulonimbus clouds build near us, but they moved eastward before any rain fell.

 

[jtbell]

Surprisingly, upstate South Carolina has not been unusually hot. According to the NWS, daily high temperatures at the county seat about ten miles away were generally in the low 90s and upper 80s (F) last month, with a maximum of 97 a couple of times. So far this month/week it’s been the same. This is consistent with the usual pattern here.

Of course this comes with high humidity which makes it unpleasant to be outdoors after about 9-10 AM. I finish my daily walks by about 9:30, and my T-shirt is soaked with sweat. But again, this is normal here in July and August.

 

[gleem]

Here in southern Florida 22.27N, 80.36W the max temperature is about normal in the mid-nineties, The rain is low in our area but is so spotty it may be high in some other nearby areas. The highest heat index so far was 115°F (46.1°C). So nothing to write home about.

 

[dlgoff]

92 degrees F right now in Perry, Kansas
Heat index 105 degrees F

 

[bob012345]

92 degrees F right now in Perry, Kansas

If that were the temperature in Dallas I'd say a cold front came through.

 

[dlgoff]

97 degrees F now

 

[bob012345]

97 degrees F now

Well, we had a cold front come through. It's 92°F now.

 

[dlgoff]

Well, we had a cold front come through. It's 92°F now.

Can you send it to Kansas?

 

[bob012345]

Can you send it to Kansas?

I'm sending it by USPS. Should be there in 2 months.

 

[dlgoff]

up to 98 degrees F now

 

[fresh_42]

up to 98 degrees F now

You shouldn't waste salt .

 

[bob012345]

up to 98 degrees F now

Buck up! Don't be a 98° weakling.

 

[dlgoff]

You shouldn't waste salt .

from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium#High_sodium_consumption

There is a strong correlation between higher sodium intake and higher blood pressure.[88] Studies have found that lowering sodium intake by 2 g per day tends to lower systolic blood pressure by about two to four mm Hg.[89] It has been estimated that such a decrease in sodium intake would lead to between 9 and 17% fewer cases of hypertension.[89]

@fresh_42
I try to say away from it. I was at my doctor today and my blood pressure was 111/69.