The dangerous, multi-day heat wave is tightening its grip on the eastern US, shattering records, straining the electric grid and raising the risk for millions of people preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July outdoors. And human-caused climate change is making the familiar summer weather pattern far more dangerous.
The heat wave was triggered by the strong heat dome parked over the Northeast — a stagnant area of high pressure that traps and enhances hot, humid air.
But the intensity of the heat and humidity combined this week would have been “virtually impossible” without the effects of fossil fuel pollution. The finding was published early Friday from World Weather Attribution, a scientific network which analyzes the role of climate change in driving extreme weather events.
“When a historic 4th of July celebration is disrupted, and World Cup matches are played in conditions that are unsafe for players and fans, it shouldn’t take another scientific study to wake people up,” said Friederike Otto, a professor of climate science at Imperial College London. “Climate change is here, it’s already impacting the things we enjoy in our everyday lives, and it will continue to get worse the longer we drag out the inevitable transition to net zero emissions.”
