Short Wave How The Current Heat Dome Can Affect Human Health
11 snips
Jun 12, 2024 Lauren Sommer, NPR climate correspondent and climate change expert, dives into the pressing issue of the current heat dome affecting the southwestern U.S. She discusses how this high-pressure system traps heat, raising risks for human health. Sommer highlights the dangerous combination of heat and humidity, revealing the inadequacies of existing heat warning systems. She also underscores the need for better public communication and an accurate heat index to protect vulnerable populations as climate change intensifies extreme heat events.
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1995 Chicago Heatwave
- In 1995, Chicago underestimated a heatwave's danger due to high humidity, resulting in over 1000 deaths.
- Many were older people and people of color who died at home.
Heat Index Limitations
- The heat index helps assess heat danger by considering humidity's effect on the body.
- It only considers a shaded, healthy individual of specific size and weight.
Heat Index Inaccuracies
- The heat index model, based on lower temperatures, underestimates high-temperature dangers.
- Research shows discrepancies up to 28 degrees, misrepresenting actual risks.
