Death valley records highest 130 degrees as heat wave sweeps over Northwestern Pacific

A heatwave across California set new record temperatures in some locations including Death Valley, where mercury touched 130 degrees on Friday, July 10. According to the New York Times, Friday’s blistering high in the desert stretch matched a similar reading in August 2020. If verified, the temperature could set a new record in the country.

Much of the West again faces record-breaking temperatures over the coming days, with over 31 million people in areas under either an excessive heat warning or a heat advisory. It is the third heatwave to sweep the region this summer. Looking at the conditions, authorities have issued an ‘excessive heat’ warning until Tuesday at 8 pm. Additionally, authorities have also urged people to conserve energy as extreme heat continues to tax the country’s power grid. 

Since last month, the Pacific Northwest region of the US, also known as Cascadia, has been hit by a lethal heat dome. Elaborating on the same, Sarah Rogowski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that daytime highs between 100 and 120 degrees would hit parts of California in the coming days. She also warned against the adverse effects of rising mercury and said that constantly warm temperatures at night combined with the high temperatures during the day starts “building an effect” and does not allow people to “cool off” “it’s a lot harder to get relief.” She also cautioned against lightning strikes which could start wildfires. 

Climate Change behind the heat

Climate change played a key role in this extreme heatwave in the US, said climatologist from the University of Oxford, Frederike Otto. Climate change has two sources, global warming and human-induced emissions like the burning of fossil fuels, energy consumption, synthetic agricultural methods, and deforestation. These sources have led to an unprecedented impact on the global climate leading to drastic temperature changes across the globe.

Scientists have observed two-times the expected rise in temperature on land. This has amplified the causing of desertification, wildfires, and heatwaves. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global rise in temperature is about 1.2 degrees Celsius and at the same rate, it can rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and beyond. 

Image: AP