A Trend Analysis of the 1930–2010 Extreme Heat Events in the Continental United States

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 565-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan M. Oswald ◽  
Richard B. Rood
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Trend Analysis ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Version 2.0 ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
Heat Events ◽  
Maximum Minimum ◽  
Linear Trends

AbstractExtreme heat events (EHEs) are linked to mortality rates, making them an important research subject in both the climate and public health fields. This study evaluated linear trends in EHEs using the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN), version 2.0, dataset and quantified the longer-term EHE trends across the continental United States (CONUS). The USHCN-daily, version 1, dataset was integrated with the homogenized USHCN-monthly, version 2.0, dataset to create daily data for trend analysis. Time series and estimated trends in multiple characteristics of EHEs (number, total days, mean duration, etc.) were calculated as were the continental means and spatial maps. The differences between EHEs based on daily maximum temperatures, minimum temperatures, and both minimum and maximum temperatures were explored. To focus on warming and cooling periods, the trends were also estimated separately over the first half and second half of the study period (1930–2010). The results indicated that the trends for different EHE characteristics were coherent (e.g., temporally correlated, similar spatial pattern of trends). Maps indicated negative trends in the interior of the CONUS and positive trends in coastal and southern areas. Continental-scale increases between 1970 and 2010 were mostly offset by the decreases between 1930 and 1970. Several daily maximum (minimum) EHEs near the 1930s (2000s) led to 1930–2010 trends of daily maximum (minimum) EHEs decreasing (increasing). Last, the results suggest that linear trends depend on which daily temperature extreme is required to exceed the threshold.

scholarly journals Development of a Submonthly Temperature Product to Monitor Near-Real-Time Climate Conditions and Assess Long-Term Heat Events in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2653-2674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared Rennie ◽  
Jesse E. Bell ◽  
Kenneth E. Kunkel ◽  
Stephanie Herring ◽  
Heidi Cullen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Minimum Temperature ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Heat Event ◽  
Heat Events

AbstractLand surface air temperature products have been essential for monitoring the evolution of the climate system. Before a temperature dataset is included in such analyses, it is important that nonclimatic influences be removed or changed so that the dataset is considered to be homogenous. These inhomogeneities include changes in station location, instrumentation, and observing practices. Many homogenized products exist on the monthly time scale, but few daily and weekly products exist. Recently, a submonthly homogenized dataset has been developed using data and software from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Homogeneous daily data are useful for identification and attribution of extreme heat events. Projections of increasing temperatures are expected to result in corresponding increases in the frequency, duration, and intensity of such events. It is also established that heat events can have significant public health impacts, including increases in mortality and morbidity. The method to identify extreme heat events using daily homogeneous temperature data is described and used to develop a climatology of heat event onset, length, and severity. This climatology encompasses nearly 3000 extreme maximum and minimum temperature events across the United States since 1901. A sizeable number of events occurred during the Dust Bowl period of the 1930s; however, trend analysis shows an increase in heat event number and length since 1951. Overnight extreme minimum temperature events are increasing more than daytime maximum temperatures, and regional analysis shows that events are becoming much more prevalent in the western and southeastern parts of the United States.

scholarly journals Insulated nest boxes provide thermal refuges for wildlife in urban bushland during summer heatwaves

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reannan Honey ◽  
Chris McLean ◽  
Brad R Murray ◽  
Jonathan K Webb
Keyword(s):  
Critical Temperature ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Critical Temperatures ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
Petaurus Breviceps ◽  
Heat Events

Abstract In urban bushland, the installation of nest boxes is widely used to compensate for the loss of natural tree hollows. However, current nest box designs may not provide thermal refuges for wildlife during summer heatwaves, particularly if internal temperatures exceed the upper critical temperatures of wildlife. We investigated whether the addition of roofing insulation to nest boxes deployed for sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) and squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) in urban bushland would reduce internal nest box temperatures during summer heatwaves. We measured temperatures of 44 insulated and 47 uninsulated nest boxes during one of the hottest summers on record (2018–2019) in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW, Australia, a period during which several prolonged heatwaves occurred. Over the 90-day study, maximum temperatures were, on average, 3.1°C lower in insulated boxes than in uninsulated boxes. The addition of insulation significantly lowered nest box temperatures regardless of aspect (north or south facing) or day of measurement. Temperatures exceeded the upper critical temperature (35.1°C) of gliders more frequently in uninsulated nest boxes (28% of days) than in insulated nest boxes (8% days). Although the addition of insulation to nest boxes lowered their internal temperatures, during heatwaves spanning 23 days, nest box temperatures exceeded the upper critical temperatures of gliders on 58% and 23% of days in uninsulated and insulated nest boxes respectively. These findings underscore the importance of retaining natural hollows in urban bushland to provide thermally suitable refuges for wildlife during extreme heat events.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal variation in urban overheating magnitude and its association with synoptic air-masses in a coastal city

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Saeed Khan ◽  
Mat Santamouris ◽  
Pavlos Kassomenos ◽  
Riccardo Paolini ◽  
Peter Caccetta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Coastal City ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Heat Events

AbstractUrban overheating (UO) may interact with synoptic-scale weather conditions. The association between meteorological parameters and UO has already been a subject of considerable research, however, the impact of synoptic-scale weather conditions on UO magnitude, particularly in a coastal city that is also near the desert landmass (Sydney) has never been investigated before. The present research examines the influence of synoptic-scale weather conditions on UO magnitude in Sydney by utilizing the newly developed gridded weather typing classification (GWTC). The diurnal, and seasonal variations in suburban-urban temperature contrast (ΔT) in association with synoptic-scale weather conditions, and ΔT response to synoptic air-masses during extreme heat events are investigated in three zones of Sydney. Generally, an exacerbation in UO magnitude was reported at daytime over the years, whereas the nocturnal UO magnitude was alleviated over time. The humid warm (HW), and warm (W) air-masses were found primarily responsible for exacerbated daytime UO during extreme heat events and in all other seasons, raising the mean daily maximum ΔT to 8–10.5 °C in Western Sydney, and 5–6.5 °C in inner Sydney. The dry warm (DW), and W conditions were mainly responsible for urban cooling (UC) at nighttime, bringing down the mean daily minimum ΔT to − 7.5 to − 10 °C in Western Sydney, and − 6 to − 7.5 °C in inner Sydney. The appropriate mitigation technologies can be planned based on this study to alleviate the higher daytime temperatures in the Sydney suburbs.

scholarly journals Impact of Extreme Heat Events on Emergency Department Visits in North Carolina (2007–2011)

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Fuhrmann ◽  
Margaret M. Sugg ◽  
Charles E. Konrad ◽  
Anna Waller
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Heat Events

scholarly journals Interdecadal Variations of Persistent Extreme Heat Events in Eastern China Under Global Warming

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naihui Zang ◽  
Junhu Zhao ◽  
Pengcheng Yan ◽  
Han Zhang ◽  
Shankai Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
21St Century ◽  
South China ◽  
North China ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
June July ◽  
Heat Events

Abstract Persistent extreme heat events (PEHEs) exert a more negative impact on society, including agriculture, plant phenology, power production and human health, compared to general EHEs. The temporal and spatial characteristics of summer PEHEs in eastern China were analysed based on a daily maximum temperature dataset from 759 stations over the period of 1961–2018. The results show the following: Persistent distributions of PEHEs show that they are characterized by an exponential decay with a drop in the decay rate. In terms of spatial distribution, there is an apparent regional difference in the duration of PEHEs. North China is dominated by multi-frequency and short-duration EHEs, while South China is the opposite. PEHEs in North China and the Huanghuai region mainly occur in June-July but mostly in July and August in South China. Strongly responding to global warming, the frequency and duration of PEHEs in North China have increased since the 1990s. However, the frequency of PEHEs in North China and the Huanghuai region has shown opposite trends in June-July since the beginning of the 21st century. Affected by the atmospheric circulations, the regional differences in PEHE frequency are also apparent. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the PEHEs in North China and the Huanghuai area have shown an increasing trend in August. The short-term PEHEs in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and South China increased rapidly in the 2000s, while long-term PEHEs increased in the 2010s. This study implies that attention should be paid to not only the frequency of EH days but also to the persistence of EHE which is a key characteristic of damaging EH.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document