UAA researchers are defining what 鈥榟ot weather鈥� means in 熊猫在线视频
by Chynna Lockett |
熊猫在线视频 is prepared to handle harsh winter weather, but climate change has triggered a new threat 鈥� heat. Temperatures that are mild for many Lower 48 states can take a physical toll on the health of 熊猫在线视频ns whose bodies have acclimated to the environment they live in. A team of UAA researchers from the Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies (ICHS) are gathering data to develop the state鈥檚 first hot weather warning system based on how heat affects 熊猫在线视频ns.
The is responsible for releasing hot weather warnings that notify individuals of potentially dangerous temperatures. The warnings are an essential part of public safety that help people prepare for upcoming heat-events. NOAA offers for administering hot weather warnings based on temperatures that are inherently dangerous to the human body. However, factors like year-round weather conditions, surrounding landscapes, and humidity change how the same temperature affects populations in different areas.
For more accurate alerts, NOAA relies on its regional offices to determine what temperatures pose a threat. Regional offices develop warning systems for releasing hot weather alerts using something called a temperature threshold 鈥� this is often selected based on temperature at which the local population starts experiencing health issues. 熊猫在线视频 does not have a local system in place because extreme heat is a new problem due to climate change.
Associate Professor Micah Hahn with ICHS is partnering with to develop 熊猫在线视频鈥檚 first hot weather warning system. Hahn鈥檚 first step was to find relevant hot temperature thresholds for the state. Her team collected records of summertime emergency room visits between 2015-2019 in Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Valley, and Fairbanks. They compared each day's weather to medical reports of illnesses potentially triggered by heat, including cardiorespiratory issues like asthma and heart attacks. 鈥淭hen we ran statistical models to see at which temperature there鈥檚 a spike in emergency department visits,鈥� Hahn said.
They for heat-related illnesses at a Heat Index as low as 70 degrees F. Temperatures in that range feel even more intense in early summer months when locals are still acclimated to frigid winter weather. Prolonged heat waves also add to the physical stress on the body. In 2019, Anchorage reached 90 degrees F for the first time ever and experienced a six-day heat wave with temperatures exceeding 80 degrees F.
Hahn says it's important to know how to stay cool and prevent illness before extreme heat hits. 鈥淧eople tend to think about weather and climate hazards while they're happening, and then forget when they're not. Most of the year in 熊猫在线视频, heat waves and hot temperatures are just not on anybody's radar. But now is the perfect time to plan for what to do if we start seeing high temperatures next summer.鈥�
Hahn suggests thinking through potential hazards in advance and ensuring you have the necessary cooling equipment and supplies in storage in case they are needed. And in response to a common query, Hahn reminds us, 鈥淚f it鈥檚 too hot for you, it鈥檚 probably too hot for your pets!鈥� ICHS conducts research on a wide range of environmental challenges facing people and animals in communities across 熊猫在线视频.
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