Feeling the intense heat lately? As we journey through this year, some regions endure scorching heat waves, pushing temperatures to unprecedented levels. This points to 2023 becoming the hottest year on record. Here are the contributing factors.
- El nino
In 2023, El Nino made a comeback, leading to ocean warming following a scorching hot summer in 2022. Berkeley Earth’s report suggests the current heat might be a minor consequence of this phenomenon. (https://nelsonjsalon.com/)
- Dust and sulphur
Normally, dust blowing from the Sahara and sulfur aerosols from shipping fuel reflect sunlight away from the ocean. However, both have been decreasing, causing the Atlantic to warm.
- ‘Stagnant’ anticyclones
Extended anticyclone systems play a role in heatwaves. When high-pressure areas stagnate, the air sinks and warms, leading to cloud dissipation and intense summer sunshine. Furthermore, Europe experiences stationary African hot air, causing heat accumulation in warm sea, land, and air.
Read also : 2023’s June Is The Hottest Temperature On Earth
- Climate change’s role
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that climate change has raised deadly heat waves frequency and intensity since the 1950s. While humans are the primary force behind climate change, they possess the ability to impact it by decreasing fossil fuel emissions.
source: rfi.fr
