Researchers have warned of the emergence of an “extreme heat belt” with observed temperatures of about 52 degrees Celsius or more in the United States. The non-governmental organization First Street Foundation presented a study Monday, according to which by 2053 more than 100 million people in the United States could live in areas where such extreme temperatures are reached at least one day a year.
Next year, it is likely that 8.1 million people will live in such areas. 30 years later, the number could rise to 107 million people, a 13-fold increase.
The region, dubbed the “Extreme Heat Belt” by the First Street Foundation, stretches from North Texas and Louisiana through Illinois and Indiana to Wisconsin. These are regions far from the coast, where the sea ensures more even temperatures.
“Extreme danger” at such high temperatures
The term extreme heat belt is based on the U.S. National Weather Service’s highest heat category, which speaks of “extreme danger” at observed temperatures above 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.7 degrees Celsius). The observed temperature corresponds to the temperature felt by the human body and takes into account not only the actual air temperature, but also the humidity.
For their model, the First Street Foundation researchers evaluated satellite data on air and surface temperatures between 2014 and 2020. They also included factors such as the elevation of an area, water intake, distance from a body of water, and distance from a coast. The scientists then worked with predictions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) about climate developments over the coming decades.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
