At 3:41 pm 17th August 2020 US National Weather Service at Furnace Creek reported the highest recorded air temperature of the century. 54.4 degrees Celsius in Death Valley in Mojave Desert of California. With a 7% decrease in humidity, it was a spell of brutal dry heat.
This is the highest recorded temperature since 1913 which was 56.7oC and debatable. The previous confirmed highest record was in 2013 at 54oC which was also in the Death Valley.
The USA is facing some serious heatwaves this summer which stretch from Arizona to the southwest and from Washington to the North West. The extreme heat has caused fire tornadoes during a bushfire in California. Heatwaves ignite fires in bushes and forests which result in brutal bush and forest fires.
Experiencing the heatwave
According to some, it felt like stepping out was like stepping into an oven. The heat was everywhere and in your face. People going through the heatwave said that the heat was so strong that you sweat, and it dried immediately. The temperatures are so high, and the heat is so strong that it feels like having goosebumps due to the heat.
The heatwave is having increased the temperatures to such a height that the power demands have risen. The extreme heat has increased the air conditioning demands which has increased the power demands. California state may have to experience blackouts. To meet the electricity demands and preventing the power stations from malfunctioning due to overheating blackouts may be necessary. The state officials re using schedule rolling blackouts for conservation and management of energy.
Effects of Heatwave
The heatwaves can have extreme effects on health. On that note, the heatwave has killed more people than any other extreme weather condition.
A heatwave can cause nausea, dizziness, heat cramps, and potentially fatal heat strokes. According to WHO heatwaves can adverse the preexisting medical conditions like heart diseases, respiratory conditions, and kidney problems.
Heatwaves are capable of damaging infrastructures. Causing machines to malfunction due to overheating. Heatwaves can cause road melts and can cause the inside of the cars to heat up at alarming rates.
Agriculture is not safe from heatwaves too. Heatwaves can cause crops to wilt and die. Plant diseases can spread at faster rates due to heatwaves causing agricultural losses.
Taking care during the Heatwave
Staying hydrated is the best way to successfully dodge a heatwave. One must drink 6-8 glasses of water in a day. Eating a lot of fruits and veggies also helps the body in hydration. If water is too boring drink diluted squash and juices for a change. When out make sure you have drinking water with you. Keeping sipping water to stay hydrated and to cool down the body.
When inside trying to keep the blinds down and curtains closed. Avoid going out at noon between 10 am to 3 pm. Use moderately cold water for showers to cool down your bodies. Do not go into cold air-conditioned rooms from extremely hot temperatures. Let your body cool down first in moderate temperatures.
When the outside shade is your best friend avoid direct heat of the scorching sun. Park your vehicles in shade.
Dress in light airy clothes. Keep an umbrella or sunshades with you. Wear sunscreen. And remember to take your water bottle with you.
Take care of your pets too. Do not let them out. Trying walking them when the sun has gone down. Make sure they stay hydrated too.
Climate Change Our Biggest Problem
If we keep living as we live soon summers will be too hot to live. These strong heat waves, forest fires, bushfires, hurricanes, and other extreme patterns are our planet’s way of warning us.
With this pandemic going on everybody is focused on the economic crisis that will follow it but what about the climate change problem that requires our attention the most?
The Earth’s temperatures are rising, the glaciers are melting at an alarming rate and yet we are not taking this problem seriously.
Money#1 Earth#??
Making money is the top in the priority list of world governments but how do they plan to use the money if the life on earth gets destroyed due to climate change.
We humans must realize that this is not only our planet there are millions of other life forms here too and we need to take care of them to live ourselves.
Changing Our Habits
Using renewable energy sources, planting more trees, taking care of our forests and oceans, are some of the simplest ways to reverse climate change. Switching to the economy is the best way to help us fight climate change. The government must invest time and money into saving our planet before it’s too late. We as individuals can make small changes in our lives to save ourselves from climate change. Like disposing of our wastes properly, using transport only when necessary, using less plastic, saving water, etc.
Changing habits is a difficult thing but when habits are life-threatening, they must be changing. Petro based economy, plastic dependence, forest cutting, dumping our wastes in oceans are our bad habits that require to be replaced for our better future. Out of sight out of mind behavior of ours requires changing for our own welfare. Dumping the waste in the ocean may make the country clean but it is still there and in return harm you.
The Earth will heal but will we survive
Our Earth can heal itself we just need to stop being so rude to it. We need to give it back as much as we are taking from it. Earth can survive. It has survived major disasters in the past. It will heal from the climate change disaster too, but will we have the second chance too.
In conclusion, the global temperatures are rising and these heatwaves, extreme withers, and increased natural disasters are a consequence of it. We should expect higher temperatures in the future.
All these extreme weathers are our planet’s way of telling us to behave ourselves and let it heal from the damage we have done to it. We need to change to be able to have a future on this planet.
