Small climb in mean temperatures linked to far higher chance of deadly heat waves
https://news.uci.edu/research/small-climb-in-mean-temperatures-linked-to-far-higher-chance-of-deadly-heat-waves/
[font face=Serif][font size=5]Small climb in mean temperatures linked to far higher chance of deadly heat waves[/font]
[font size=4]UCI-led analysis of data from India could have dire implications for future[/font]
on June 7, 2017
[font size=3]Irvine, Calif., June 7, 2017 An increase in mean temperature of 0.5 degrees Celsius over half a century may not seem all that serious, but its enough to have more than doubled the probability of a heat wave killing in excess of 100 people in India, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions.
This could have grim implications for the future, because mean temperatures are projected to rise by 2.2 to 5.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century in the low- and mid-latitude countries of the Asian subcontinent, the Middle East, Africa and South America.
The impact of global climate change is not a specter on the horizon. Its real, and its being felt now all over the planet, said Amir AghaKouchak, UCI associate professor of civil & environmental engineering and co-author of the study, published today in Science Advances. Its particularly alarming that the adverse effects are pummeling the worlds most vulnerable populations.
In real terms, there were only 43 and 34 heat-related fatalities in 1975 and 1976, respectively, when the mean summer temperature was about 27.4 degrees Celsius. However, at least 1,600 people died from excessive heat in 1998, when the mean summer temperature was higher than 28 degrees Celsius.
[/font][/font]
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700066