The largest heat wave in North America

In recent days, dozens of people have died due to the extreme heat wave in western Canada, which has reached a maximum temperature of 50 C. The issue is affecting some parts of the Northeastern United States, particularly Oregon and Washington, D.C. This is due to a layer of high pressure that diverts some of the most intense winds (“jet streams”) from the Pacific northward, which help cool much of western Upper America.

It was Tuesday in the Canadian city of Lytton in British Columbia Recorded Maximum 49.6 C, above 45 C for Canada’s previous and equivalent contrast records. In Vancouver, a large city on the Pacific coast, they have been for the past 24 hours Found At least 25 deaths due to high temperatures, in addition to the 40 deaths recorded in previous days. The deaths mainly concern the elderly and those at risk, as some of these investigations are still ongoing to reconstruct the causes of sudden deaths with greater accuracy.

In the United States, high temperatures have mainly affected Seattle (Washington) and Portland (Oregon), where a dozen deaths have been reported so far, due to overheating. Weather conditions in Northern California affect drought levels, where bushfire risks are high.

Joe Biden, President of the United States Commented News of high temperatures is often a reminder that global warming is caused by a teasing comment to climate emergency deniers: “Can anyone turn on the TV and see 47 C in Portland, Oregon? 47 ° C. But don’t worry: it’s the fruit of our imagination. Only.

Chestermeier, Alberta, Canada (via Jeff McIntosh / The Canadian Press AB)

Although it is always difficult to link a weather event to the course of the weather, it follows a very complex dynamics and long time, with various researchers suggesting that the new heat wave reflects predictions made by many studies and mathematical models. In recent years, the temperature of the Pacific Ocean has increased due to climate change and the ability of our planet to dissipate heat, due to greenhouse gases (mainly produced by human activities).

Definite representation of high pressure formation on the United States (NOAA)

The air in the ground heated by the sun moves upwards and forms a high pressure hood, which moves very slowly, preventing it from passing through other obstacles. This creates a large mountain of warm air in a particular area and prevents the normal flow of air currents, in this case jet streams that usually flow from west to east.

According to some research, these phenomena have occurred more frequently in recent decades, but studies are still ongoing. Last summer a heat wave caused the hottest temperature in California, and in 1995 a heat wave caused more than 500 deaths in the Chicago area.

A refrigerated reception center in Portland, Oregon, USA (Nathan Howard / Getty Images)

The high pressure areas that cause these heat waves usually last a week. Over time, they become larger, elongate and collapse, releasing trapped air, encouraging it to re-pass other atmospheric currents.