Killer heatwave to continue – 54 dead in North America with HEAT DOMES here to stay
THE heatwave that has raised temperatures in the UK over the past two weeks is sweeping across the world, as Britain braces itself to face the hottest day of the year today.
By ALICE SCARSI
Express.co.uk
Sun, Jul 8, 2018
North America, Europe, the Middle East and Western Asia have joined the United Kingdom as temperature record-breakers.
Thermometers all around the world have seen their degrees surging due to huge areas of sweltering pressure called heat domes.
This weather phenomenon causes prolonged heat, and in addition with the poor air quality recorded in polluted cities it can become dangerous and even deadly.
NBC News meteorologist Sherri Pugh said: “A heat dome is the result of a couple of factors that are coming together.
“You’ve got your jet stream. You have a building ridge south of the jet.
“That area acts as a dome, and then under this dome, you have a lot of sinking air.
“Sinking air is compressed and therefore it warms, and that adds an excessive amount of heat in the dome.”
The heatwave has sparked chaos with 54 people killed in Canada as temperatures climbed to 45C (113F).
24 of those who died were men over the age of 50 and lived in the upper floors of apartments with no air-conditioning.
And Public Health England warned the extreme heat could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Doctor Thomas Waite said: “During every heatwave we see increases in people phoning NHS 111, going to their GPs or needing medical attention for a variety of conditions.
“Heart attacks, strokes but also more minor things there are still very troubling for some people, like sunburn and so on.
“On top of that, we know that in the first heatwave of every summer there is a rise in those illnesses but sadly also in deaths.
“On the first heatwave in 2016, we recorded the highest number of deaths for the whole year.
“It’s difficult to say what’s exactly heat-related and what is not.
“I think the important thing is making sure that we all take steps to stay healthy.”
The Rest…HERE
