If you live in the northern hemisphere, you know that it’s hot outside. Really hot. So hot that record heat has been recorded not just in the United States, but all around the world.
It’s so hot that I’ve started to question if it would me more energy-efficient (read: lower our electric bill) for Emily and I to replace our air conditioner with a larger unit, since according to our Nest thermostat (highly recommend it!), our air conditioner has been working overtime all week long. We’ve had our AC set to 70, which is cute because it’s not gotten to 70 degrees in our house this week. Nevertheless, according to our thermostat’s history, our air conditioner ran for about 18 hours a day this past week:
I estimate our electric bill will be $300 this month.
#FirstWorldProblems, I know. Especially when you consider the potentially dangerous outcomes of it being so hot. Which is precisely the excuse I’m going to give to my HOA if/when they send me a letter about how tall my grass is right now:
The Canadian Broadcasting Company reported that at least 33 people have died due to heat-related causes in Quebec alone, as the temperature today is a balmy 34 degrees (94 degrees Fahrenheit), with humidex values between 40 and 45 degrees (104 to 113 Fahrenheit). Days like these warrant staying inside if possible, and staying hydrated.
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The cause of the heat on the northeastern part of North America is due to the strongest dome of high pressure for this time of the year in over three decades.
The dome of high pressure set to develop this weekend over the eastern US is IMPRESSIVE. Current foretasted strength would make this the strongest ridge of high pressure on record for this time of year over the last 30 years. pic.twitter.com/A5bTh5CvOV
— Greg Porter (@NEWeatherRants) June 28, 2018
And according to the Washington Post, the heat wave isn’t exclusive to just North America.
In Northern Siberia, along the coast of the Arctic Ocean – where weather observations are scarce – model analyses showed temperatures soaring 40 degrees above normal on July 5, to over 90 degrees. “It is absolutely incredible and really one of the most intense heat events I’ve ever seen for so far north,” wrote meteorologist Nick Humphrey, who offers more detail on this extraordinary high-latitude hot spell on his blog.
Despite what our president was saying just 6 months ago, this is part of an increasingly obvious trend of record-setting weather events occurring all over the globe.
The Environmental Protection Agency, despite Scott Pruitt’s best efforts, tracks heat-related deaths each year and acknowledges that they are an indicator of climate change.
The Capital Weather Gang put together an impressive list of the oppressive heat records around the Earth this past week:
A massive and intense heat dome has consumed the eastern two-thirds of the United States and southeast Canada since late last week. It’s not only been hot but also exceptionally humid. Here are some of the notable all-time records set: Excessive heat torched the British Isles late last week. The stifling heat caused roads and roofs to buckle, the Weather Channel reported, and resulted in multiple all-time record highs: A large dome of high pressure, or heat dome, has persistently sat on top of Eurasia over the past week, resulting in some extraordinarily hot weather: As we reported, Quriyat, Oman, posted the world’s hottest low temperature ever recorded on June 28: 109 degrees (42.6 Celsius).
All this adds to the relentless stream of evidence that anthropogenic climate change is real.