(Los Angeles) A dangerous heat wave is expected in the western United States, weather services warned on Tuesday, who fear that records could be broken, as in Mexico a few days earlier.
In Southern California in particular, temperatures could reach 38 degrees Celsius, 15 degrees warmer than seasonal norms.
This heat wave will “affect much of the western United States in the coming days,” write the US Weather Service (NWS). “Temperature records are expected to be broken or matched.”
Scientists say repeated heatwaves are a clear indicator of global warming, and these heat waves are set to become more frequent, last longer and intensify.
Las Vegas could see a temperature of 44°C.
“Extreme temperatures are an invisible but dangerous consequence of climate change, and those who work outdoors, seniors, and children are particularly vulnerable,” writes the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Texas is also affected, with the border city of Rio Grande expecting 47°C.
Neighboring Mexico also suffered a heat wave. The capital, although located at an altitude of 2,240 meters, broke a new record at 34.7°C at the end of May. The country has recorded 48 deaths due to the phenomenon observed since March, the government said in late May.
These heatwave episodes are part of an alarming global context. Every month since June 2023 has set a new temperature record – and 2023 was by far the hottest year on record.
Climate change has caused an average of 26 additional days of extreme heat worldwide over the past 12 months, according to a report from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) climate centre released last week.
In recent weeks, terrible heat waves have hit India in the middle of elections, killing 33 electoral agents in a single day on Saturday and in the state of Uttar Pradesh (north) alone.
