Deadly Heat Waves: 35 Times More Likely Due to Global Warming

Recent scorching temperatures in the United States, Mexico, and Central America were made significantly more probable by human-induced climate change, according to a group of international climate scientists. 

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) initiative revealed that the extreme heat witnessed in these regions during May and June was 35 times more likely to occur compared to a world without global warming. Their analysis focused on the hottest five consecutive days and nights during a heat dome event that impacted the southwest US, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras.

WWA's findings indicate that global warming, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, increased the maximum temperatures during this event by 1.4 degrees Celsius and made it 35 times more likely. The scientists warn that these extreme weather events could become even more frequent if we continue on the current path of fossil fuel dependence.

The record-breaking heat caused fatalities – at least 125 deaths were reported in Mexico – and thousands suffered from heatstroke, a dangerous condition that occurs when the body's cooling mechanisms fail.  

Karina Izquierdo, from the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, affiliated with WWA, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating that the additional 1.4 degrees Celsius caused by climate change "is the difference between life and death."