The 2021 North American heat wave was among the world's most extreme
In short: Researchers who analyzed global temperature records found that the 2021 western North America heat wave was an exceptionally rare event, falling outside the distribution of previously observed temperatures. By measuring how many standard deviations an event sits from the mean, they determined this specific heat wave was over four standard deviations away from the norm.
The study highlights that while the 2021 event was extreme locally, it ranks among only five other heat waves globally since 1960 that were even more intense. The findings suggest that as global temperatures rise due to climate change, the statistical distribution of these extremes is shifting upward over time.
The researchers used a novel assessment of heat extremes based on reanalyses and climate projections. A limitation of this study is that it relies on regions where reliable data are available to make these global comparisons.
Why it matters: This study puts the unprecedented intensity of recent heat waves into a global historical context, showing how climate change shifts the boundaries of 'normal' weather.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Thompson et al. (2022). The 2021 western North America heat wave among the most extreme events ever recorded globally. Science Advances.
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