Climate change made North American heat wave 150 times more likely: Study

According to various scientists around the world, the heatwave in Canada and the western USA would have been impossible without a change in climate over the years. In an analysis done by World Weather Attribution, the continuous emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increased the probability of the heatwave by 150 times. Thousands are feared to have succumbed due to the ongoing heatwave. 

Lytton, a Canadian village, was ravaged by wildfires as it recorded a temperature of 49.6 degree Celsius. Under normal circumstances, the peak temperature during a heatwave would have been two degrees warmer, but Lytton saw an increase of five degrees Celsius. The researchers at World Weather Attribution have warned that in another 20 years, the peak temperature could be pushed higher by another two degrees Celsius. 

Geert Jan van Oldenborgh of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institue said in a press conference, "It is an extraordinary event. A lot of people are worried about this event. Could this also happen here in Netherlands, France, in other places, suddenly having a five degrees celsius jump? This is something that really needs to be researched, whether we should be prepared for this kind of jump in other parts of the world." 

Even though the sudden nature of the event has made it difficult for scientists to come up with definite explanations, the extreme winters in these areas make such heatwaves even more unlikely. Among many proposed theories, it is a big possibility that this event will not occur again as it may have been a case of hot air being trapped over the region. The two countries are already dealing with the threat of another heatwave and fear that this time the heatwave might affect the entire country and not just specific regions.

Weather in USA 

In the US, California, Nevada, and Arizona are expected to face the wrath of the sun. Excessive warnings reserved for days when the temperature rises to dangerous levels have been given to northern California, Oregon, and Idaho by the National Weather Service Office. Advanced weather models have predicted that the threat might loom over these regions for the next two weeks.