New report predicts multiple record-breaking heatwaves within next 5 years — here's what you need to know
In 2024, we saw the warmest year on record for our planet. In fact, we've seen the 10 warmest years on record just in the last decade alone. And according to an alarming new report, we can likely expect more of the same heading into 2030.
In a May 28 press release, the World Meteorological Organization revealed that global temperatures are expected to continue at or near record levels over the next five years. The WMO offered a bleak outlook on what regions all around the world can expect.
As noted by the report, there is an 80% chance that at least one of the next five years will surpass 2024 as the warmest on record. Altogether, there is even a higher chance that at least one of the next five years will be more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above the average temperature set between 1850 and 1900.
Although the planet has experienced periods of warming and cooling before, the incredible rate of the global temperature increase over the last few decades sets it apart from ordinary heat waves. The WMO has linked the record warmth with the presence of critical climate issues around the world.
The WMO warns that this continual increase in temperatures can lead to even more extreme climate events over the next few years.
"Every additional fraction of a degree of warming drives more harmful heatwaves, extreme rainfall events, intense droughts, melting of ice sheets, sea ice, and glaciers, heating of the ocean, and rising sea levels," the press release read.
To make matters worse, the WMO also predicts that temperatures in the Arctic are expected to continue to increase at an ever greater rate than the global average temperature. This may contribute to the threat of catastrophic melting of polar ice sheets and glaciers. Not only will this lead to the threat of rising sea levels, but it may also greatly alter regional climate patterns and affect ecosystems and human activities.
These disruptions can increase mortality and morbidity from heat exposure, respiratory illnesses, and cardiovascular diseases. Long-term heat waves can also be accompanied by periods of stagnant air, leading to increases in air pollution, especially in dense urban populations.
WMO deputy secretary-general Ko Barrett emphasized the impact that rising global temperatures will have on communities.
"We have just experienced the ten warmest years on record. Unfortunately, this WMO report provides no sign of respite over the coming years, and this means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems, and our planet," Barrett said.
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While the looming threat of increased global temperatures can be overwhelming, many countries around the world are enacting policies to work towards a cooler future. Developed in 2015, the Paris Agreement is a "legally binding international treaty on climate change" that has been adopted by 195 countries.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit the increase in the global average temperature to below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels. Ideally, the treaty continues to push efforts to limit the temperature increase to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The agreement encourages countries to cut down on pollution while also emphasizing the importance of financial and technological advancements for developing nations to help them mitigate and adapt to the evolving climate.
According to Barrett, looking ahead to the future and studying climate patterns will go a long way to combat this worldwide issue.
"Continued climate monitoring and prediction is essential to provide decision-makers with science-based tools and information to help us adapt," Barrett added.
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National Weather Service issues Alaska's first-ever heat advisory
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The National Weather Service issues Alaska's first ever heat advisory
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6 hours ago
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The National Weather Service issues Alaska's first ever heat advisory
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — For the first time ever, parts of Alaska will be under a heat advisory — but you can put an asterisk at the end of that term. It's not the first instance of unusually high temperatures in what many consider the nation's coldest state, but the National Weather Service only recently allowed for heat advisories to be issued there. Information on similarly warm weather conditions previously came in the form of 'special weather statements." Using the heat advisory label could help people better understand the weather's severity and potential danger, something a nondescript 'special weather statement' didn't convey. The first advisory is for Sunday in Fairbanks, where temperatures are expected to top 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). Fairbanks has has been warmer in the past, but this is unusual for June, officials said. Here's what to know about Alaska's inaugural heat advisory: Why it's the first The National Weather Service's switch from special weather statements to advisories was meant to change how the public views the information. 'This is an important statement, and the public needs to know that there will be increasing temperatures, and they could be dangerous because Alaska is not used to high temperatures like these,' said Alekya Srinivasan, a Fairbanks-based meteorologist. 'We want to make sure that we have the correct wording and the correct communication when we're telling people that it will be really hot this weekend,' she said. Not unprecedented and not climate change The change doesn't reflect unprecedented temperatures, with Fairbanks having reached 90 degrees twice in 2024, Srinivasan said. It's purely an administrative change by the weather service. 'It's not that the heat in the interior that prompted Fairbanks to issue this is record heat or anything like that. It's just now there's a product to issue,' said Rich Thoman, a climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy. Thoman also clarified that the term swap doesn't have anything to do with climate change. 'I think some of it is related to the recognition that hot weather does have an impact on Alaska, and in the interior especially," Thoman said. Little air conditioning While the temperatures in the forecast wouldn't be considered extreme in other U.S. states, Thoman noted that most Alaska buildings don't have air conditioning. 'And just the opposite, most buildings in Alaska are designed to retain heat for most of the year," he said. People can open their windows to allow cooler air in during early morning hours — if wildfires aren't burning in blaze-prone state. But if it's smoky and the windows have to remain shut, buildings can heat up very rapidly. 'Last year was the third year in a row in Fairbanks with more than a hundred hours of visibility-reducing smoke, the first time we've ever had three consecutive years over a hundred hours,' he said. There's only been two summers in Fairbanks in the 21st century with no hours of smoke that reduced visibility, a situation he said was commonplace from the 1950s to the 1970s. What about Anchorage? The Juneau and Fairbanks weather service offices have been allowed to issue heat advisories beginning this summer, but not the office in the state's largest city of Anchorage — at least not yet. And, regardless, temperatures in the area haven't reached the threshold this year at which a heat advisory would be issued.
