Our Planet Is Getting Warmer, Are We Prepared? How Heat Domes, El Nino, and Greenhouse Gases All Play a Part
by Stephanie Ho Lem, CHCA Director of Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability
What is a Heat Dome?
A heat dome occurs when a ridge of high pressure builds over an area. It can stretch over a large area and linger for days to weeks. High pressure conditions combine to act as a ‘lid” on the atmosphere. In a process known as convection, warm air attempts to escape but the high-pressure dome causes it to sink back down to earth. As the winds move the hot air east, the jet stream traps the air where it sinks, resulting in heat waves.
In the summer of 2021, BC experienced a heat dome, the deadliest weather event in Canada. Temperatures went up 20 degrees C above normal. The BC Coroners Service confirmed that there were 619 heat-related deaths during the heat dome. Heat domes are especially dangerous for young children, the elderly, and those with health conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Lytton’s temperature measured 49.6 degrees on June 29 and the entire BC town subsequently burned in a wildfire the next day.
Such extreme heat events are forecasted to become more frequent and intense due to climate change. This trend is worrying news for the planet.
The costs of the 2021 heat wave are reported in The Canadian Climate Institute’s “The Case for Adapting to Extreme Heat.” It provides a summary on how to prevent future extreme heat events from becoming disasters and how to limit the impacts on people, communities, and the economy. Alberta has a website with more information as well: alberta.ca/beprepared.
Four heat domes have contributed to this past July being the hottest month on record globally. Part of this is El Nino, which is developing and likely to strengthen. There is a good chance many more heat records will be broken. The four heat domes currently at play are in the southern US, the North Atlantic Ocean, North Africa including southern Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Source: Canadian Climate Institute, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Please note that the content provided is for informational purposes.
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