Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Canada sees its first 40°C reading this year as a prolonged heat wave hits B.C.

Warmest days of the year on tap for British Columbia

Likely going to be through the Lytton, Lillooet or Osoyoos


Digital Writers
Tue, August 15, 2023

Canada sees its first 40°C reading this year as a prolonged heat wave hits B.C.

The country's streak of temperatures staying below the 40-degree mark has finally ended.

A formidable ridge over Western Canada has allowed the B.C. community of Lytton to achieve the country's first 40°C reading in 2023, reaching a high of 41.5°C on Monday.

RELATED: Why extreme heat is one of the world’s deadliest weather disasters
Tuesday

On Monday, we had our first 40°C reading in Canada this year in Lytton, where the temperature hit a sizzling 41.5°C. The previous record was held by Etzicom, Alta., where the mercury reached 39.8°C, which Lytton tied on Sunday.

Temperatures were 8-10 degrees cooler near the coast, but it was still feeling quite muggy with some excess Pacific moisture lingering around. Widespread heat warnings remain in effect.


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This setup is a tradeoff between simmering mugginess and searing heat. Folks along the immediate coast will have cooler temperatures but higher humidity, while communities farther inland will see hotter but less-muggy conditions.

Temperatures will be similar on Tuesday to the conditions faced Monday, making for uncomfortable, and even dangerous heat for some. If you’re inclined to get some relief, head down to the beaches to get a cooler breeze.

DON'T MISS: Canada’s historic wildfire season only halfway done: A checkpoint

Baron - BC temps - Aug15
Stay safe in the heat

Hot temperatures are the most dangerous weather you’re likely to face during the summer months. It’s a silent hazard that can sneak up on even the fittest individuals.

RELATED: How hot is too hot for the human body?

Heat Stroke and Exhaustion Symptoms

Use caution if you have to spend extended periods of time outdoors during the day. Stay aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, staying hydrated and taking frequent cooling breaks to prevent illness. Humidity will make it harder for the body to cool off during the heat of the day, and the muggy air will subdue any relief overnight.
WATCH: How extreme heat affects our body's ability to cool down

Click here to view the video
Cooling long-range pattern

Temperatures will gradually cool a bit throughout the course of the week as a stronger onshore flow develops and the ridge flattens a bit. By this weekend, temperatures will be back closer to seasonal, with more cloud-cover and the return of some showers possible for the second half of August.


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Thumbnail courtesy of Getty Images.


'This isn't normal,' NASA says in announcing July as hottest month on record

Sheri Walsh
Mon, August 14, 2023 

July was the hottest month on record in 143 years, as Americans felt "the effects of the climate crisis," scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York (pictured) announced Monday. 
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- July was the hottest month on record in 143 years, as Americans felt "the effects of the climate crisis," scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York announced Monday.

According to NASA, July 2023 was on average 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than any other July on record. It was also 2.1 degrees warmer than the average July between 1951 and 1980, according to GISS which defines "normal" temperatures as lasting several decades, typically 30 years. The five hottest Julys since 1880 have all occurred in the past five years, NASA says.

"This July was not just warmer than any previous July -- it was the warmest month in our record, which goes back to 1880," NASA's GISS Director Gavin Schmidt said.

"The science is clear this isn't normal. Alarming warming around the world is driven primarily by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. And that rise in average temperature is fueling dangerous extreme heat that people are experiencing here at home and worldwide," Schmidt added.

Some parts of the world were hotter than others and experienced temperatures around 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Tens of millions of people in parts of North America, South America, North Africa and the Antarctic Peninsula spent July under heat warnings, as hundreds suffered heat-related illnesses and deaths.

Global temperature anomalies for July 2023 according to the GISTEMP analysis by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. According to NASA, July was on average 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than any other July on record. 
Image courtesy of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies

"Climate change is impacting people and ecosystems around the world, and we expect many of these impacts to escalate with continued warming," said Katherine Calvin, chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Last week, the European Union's climate monitor also called July 2023 the hottest month around the globe with 29 of the warmest days ever recorded.

Copernicus, which tracks worldwide climate data for the EU, said daily surface air temperatures have risen drastically since 1940 with 2023 being the hottest summer on record.

NASA blames high sea surface temperatures and El Niño in the eastern tropical Pacific for contributing to July's record heat. NASA expects to see the biggest impacts of El Niño -- which can cause severe storms in some areas and drought in others -- in February, March and April of 2024.

"Since day one, President Biden has treated the climate crisis as the existential threat of our time," said Ali Zaidi, White House National Climate Advisor. "Against the backdrop of record high temperatures, wildfires and floods, NASA's analysis puts into context the urgency of President Biden's unprecedented climate leadership."

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson agreed, in a post on X.

"NASA data confirms what billions around the world literally felt: temperatures in July 2023 made it the hottest month on record. In every corner of the country, Americans are right now experiencing firsthand the effects of the climate crisis, underscoring the urgency of President Biden's historic climate agenda," Nelson said.

"The science is clear. We must act now to protect our communities and planet; it's the only one we have."





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