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As I was browsing social media on Friday, my Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brother, Rontai Walker, tagged me in this post, "Dear Dr. Marshall Shepherd, Why does Georgia currently have the feeling of being in Las Vegas? " Walker, & nbsp; the associate director of Student Involvement and the Student Center at Georgia Gwinnett College, can not imagine things. Some parts of the southeastern United States will be stifled during the Memorial Day weekend and beyond. Here are three things you need to know about the first heat wave of the season.
A dome of high pressure with falling air is often associated with heat waves.
NOAA
It will be hot and last. & Nbsp;The tweet of the National Weather Service of the Eastern Region summarizes the expected heat over the next few days in the Southeast:
The Memorial Day weekend will feature the first prolonged heat wave of the season in the Southeast and in the South Atlantic. High temperatures could approach record levels. Please take precautions to avoid heat stroke if you have outdoor projects the next few days.
The map below shows the temperatures forecast for Memorial Day in the southeast. Temperatures range from 90 to 100+ in most of the region. Before discussing what's going on, it's instructive to define a "heatwave." According to the meteorological glossary of the American Meteorological Society, a heat wave is defined as:
An unusually hot and usually wet period of time. & Nbsp; To be a heat wave, such a period should last at least a day, but it usually lasts from a few days to several weeks. In 1900, AT Burrows more rigorously defined a "warm wave" in the form of periods of at least three days during which the maximum temperature of the shadow reached or exceeded 90 ° F. More realistically, the criteria of comfort for a given region depend on the normal conditions of that area.
Memorial Day Temperatures in the Southeast.
NWS
So, what is causing the extreme heat wave in the southeast? The simple answer is that a strong peak of high pressure will remain in place for several days. A high pressure dome (see the opening chart) will be prevalent in the area. Typically, a prolonged high-pressure system causes heat waves because cloud formation is difficult and the air evaporates. The flowing air is compressed and heats up (adiabatic compression). Whenever I see long periods of heat, I am also worried about the drought and rising wildfires.
Such extreme heat is not normal for this time of year.& nbsp; If you think, "Is not it a little early to see the heat that extreme?" The answer is yes. Jim Gandy, legendary meteorologist from South Carolina, tweeted, & nbsp;
Eight days ago, it was only the second day of 90 degrees of the year. It's been over 90 days every day since with today's hottest up here this year. Now we are in a heatwave that will see record high the temperatures next week.
Gandy pointed out that the average temperature for this time of year is 86 degrees Fahrenheit in Columbia, South Carolina. The office of the National Weather Service in the Atlanta area also sounded the alarm about the possibility of beaten records. The discussion on the Saturday morning forecast reads as follows:
The temperatures will remain the big story with peaks slightly higher than those of Friday, with an average of 90 degrees in the subway and about 100 in the southeastern part of the region. Outdoor record of all time, record in Atlanta for today but more likely for Macon with a forecast of 99 degrees.
According to the NWS-Atlanta, here are some of the all-time highlights for the month of May:
- Atlanta: 97 degrees F in 1914 and 1941
- Athens: 100 degrees F in 1918 and 1926
- Columbus: 100 degrees F in 1916 and 1937
- Macon: 99 degrees F in 1898, 1953 and 1967
I think some of these discs (and others) could be broken in the next few days.
It is clear that weather conditions explain this heat wave. I often squeak when people use a "cold day" to refute climate change. I also emphasize that "a hot" day or week does not necessarily affirm it either. However, there is ample evidence that climate change is occurring so resist the urge to use it someday. The 2018 National Climate Assessment Report (and most credible studies or statements of scientific organizations) issued by the Trump administration pointed out that extreme heat would become a "new normal." For example, the figure below shows that the number of nighttime temperatures above 75 degrees F has increased significantly. This is much more worrying than diurnal temperatures from the point of view of human health according to scientists and health experts. The report states:
Sixty-one percent of the larger cities in the southeast have some aspects of worsening heat waves, which is a higher percentage than any other region in the country. Hot days and hot nights combined affect the comfort and health of people and require increased cooling effort. Agriculture is also affected by a lack of nocturnal cooling.
Legend from the NCA report18: The number of warm nights (minimum temperature above 75 ° F) doubled on average compared to the first half of the 20th century and (bottom right) increased locally in most stations. Sources: NOAA NCEI and CICS-NC.
NCA4
The heat is not telegenic but it is deadly.& nbsp; When I give public lectures, I always ask the public what weather event kills more people each year in the United States. I usually get answers like tornadoes, hurricanes or lightning. People are often surprised to learn that extreme temperatures, especially heat, are the most lethal weather conditions. The figure below illustrates weather-related deaths in the United States according to the National Weather Service. It is clear that the heat is lethal (Note: the NWS seems to have a typographical error regarding the range of years in the legend, but the data is correct). Historically, deadly heatwaves in Chicago and Europe have been associated with above-normal night-time temperatures and vulnerable populations (seniors, children and people without adequate cooling resources). High daytime temperatures can also be dangerous if strenuous activities are undertaken without proper hydration and acclimation. At the moment when I write this, my thoughts and my parents "alert" are & nbsp; intensified today because my son has a league football game of 7 to 7 passes on artificial turf. I hope the tournament officials have adequate plans in place. However, I will not let my son's well-being live up to a plan of "hoping." I will make the appropriate decisions as needed.
Be careful.
Fatal accidents
NWS
& nbsp;
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As I was browsing social media on Friday, my brother from the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Rontai Walker, tagged me in this article: "Dear Dr. Marshall Shepherd, Why does Georgia currently feel like it? To be in Las Vegas? " Walker, associate director of Student Involvement and the Georgia Gwinnett College Student Center, does not imagine it. Some parts of the southeastern United States will be stifled during the Memorial Day weekend and beyond. Here are three things you need to know about the first heat wave of the season.
A dome of high pressure with falling air is often associated with heat waves.
NOAA
It will be hot and steady. The tweet of the National Weather Service of the Eastern Region summarizes the expected heat over the next few days in the Southeast:
The Memorial Day weekend will feature the first prolonged heat wave of the season in the Southeast and in the South Atlantic. High temperatures could approach record levels. Please take precautions to avoid heat stroke if you have outdoor projects the next few days.
The map below shows the temperatures forecast for Memorial Day in the southeast. Temperatures range from 90 to 100+ in most of the region. Before discussing what is happening, it is instructive to define a "heat wave". According to the Glossary of Meteorology of the American Meteorological Society, a heat wave is defined as:
An unusually hot and usually wet period of time. To be a heat wave, such a period should last at least a day, but it usually lasts from several days to several weeks. In 1900, AT Burrows more rigorously defined a "heat wave" as a period of three days or more, the maximum temperature of the shadow being able to reach or exceed 90 ° F. More realistically, the criteria of comfort for a given region depend on the normal conditions of that region.
Memorial Day Temperatures in the Southeast.
NWS
So, what is causing the extreme heat wave in the southeast? The simple answer is that a strong peak of high pressure will remain in place for several days. A high pressure dome (see the opening chart) will be prevalent in the area. Typically, a prolonged high-pressure system causes heat waves because cloud formation is difficult and the air evaporates. The flowing air is compressed and heats up (adiabatic compression). Whenever I see long periods of heat, I am also worried about the drought and rising wildfires.
Such extreme heat is not normal for this time of year. If you think, "Is not it a little early to see the heat at this extreme?" The answer is yes. Legendary meteorologist Jim Gandy of South Carolina tweeted,
Eight days ago, it was only the second day of 90 degrees of the year. It's been over 90 days every day since with today's hottest up here this year. Now we are in a heatwave that will see record high the temperatures next week.
Gandy pointed out that the average temperature for this time of year is 86 degrees Fahrenheit in Columbia, South Carolina. The office of the National Weather Service in the Atlanta area also sounded the alarm about the possibility of beaten records. The discussion on the Saturday morning forecast reads as follows:
The temperatures will remain the big story with peaks slightly higher than those of Friday, with an average of 90 degrees in the subway and about 100 in the southeastern part of the region. Outdoor record of all time, record in Atlanta for today but more likely for Macon with a forecast of 99 degrees.
According to the NWS-Atlanta, here are some of the all-time highlights for the month of May:
- Atlanta: 97 degrees F in 1914 and 1941
- Athens: 100 degrees F in 1918 and 1926
- Columbus: 100 degrees F in 1916 and 1937
- Macon: 99 degrees F in 1898, 1953 and 1967
I think some of these discs (and others) could be broken in the next few days.
It is clear that weather conditions explain this heat wave. I often complain when people use a "cold day" to refute climate change. I also point out that "a hot day or week" does not necessarily mean it either. However, there is ample evidence that climate change is occurring so resist the urge to use it someday. The 2018 National Climate Assessment Report (and most credible studies or statements of scientific organizations) issued by the Trump administration emphasized that extreme heat would become a "new normal". For example, the figure below shows that the number of nighttime temperatures above 75 degrees F has increased significantly. This is much more worrying than diurnal temperatures from the point of view of human health, according to scientists and health experts. The report states:
Sixty-one percent of the larger cities in the southeast have some aspects of worsening heat waves, which is a higher percentage than any other region in the country. Hot days and hot nights combined affect the comfort and health of people and require increased cooling effort. Agriculture is also affected by a lack of nocturnal cooling.
Legend drawn from the NCA report18: the number of warm nights (minimum temperature above 20 ° C) doubled on average compared to the first half of the twentieth century and (bottom right) increased locally in most stations. Sources: NOAA NCEI and CICS-NC.
NCA4
The heat is not telegenic but it is deadly. When I give public lectures, I always ask the public what weather event kills more people each year in the United States. I usually get answers like tornadoes, hurricanes or lightning. People are often surprised to learn that extreme temperatures, especially heat, are the most lethal weather conditions. The figure below illustrates weather-related deaths in the United States according to the National Weather Service. It is clear that the heat is lethal (Note: the NWS seems to have a typographical error regarding the range of years in the legend, but the data is correct). Historically, deadly heatwaves in Chicago and Europe have been associated with above-normal night-time temperatures and vulnerable populations (seniors, children and people without adequate cooling resources). High daytime temperatures can also be dangerous if strenuous activities are undertaken without proper hydration and acclimation. By the time I write these lines, my thoughts and my parental "alert" are exacerbated today because my son is playing a 7-on-7 football game on an artificial pitch. I hope the tournament officials have adequate plans in place. However, I will not let my son's well-being live up to a "hope" plan. I will make the appropriate decisions as needed.
Be careful.