24-06-2025
How Heat Waves Can Worsen Air Quality
Hello from life under the heat dome. Tens of millions of people across the United States, including here in New York City, are facing dangerous temperatures this week as a high-pressure system traps hot air around us.
Prolonged exposure to this stifling heat is dangerous on its own, but as Claire Brown and I reported today, heat waves also thicken and trap harmful pollution in the air we breathe. And President Trump's rollbacks of clean air regulations threaten to make that cycle worse.
The dual hazards of extreme heat and air pollution on public health are becoming increasingly concerning as climate change pushes up global temperatures, researchers told us.
Being exposed to high levels of heat or air pollution puts stress on the body, and when both happen at the same time, they 'have an exaggerated harmful effect,' said Dr. Meredith McCormack, director of pulmonary and critical care at Johns Hopkins University. Health effects can add up the longer a heat wave continues and can lead to increased hospital admissions, experts said.
Air pollution affects the whole body, aggravating lung conditions like asthma and raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Children, older adults and people who have underlying conditions or are pregnant are at higher risk. Air pollution exposure is also associated with other illnesses like cancer, preterm birth and dementia.
Globally, air pollution leads to millions of premature deaths each year, and most of those deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, it leads to more than 100,000 premature deaths annually, according to the National Weather Service.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
