When red-hot isn’t enough: New government heat risk tool sets magenta as most dangerous level

WASHINGTON — Forget about red hot. A new color-coded heat warning system relies on magenta to alert Americans to the most dangerous conditions they may see this summer. The National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday — Earth Day — presented a new online heat risk system that combines … Read more

Natural disasters caused an estimated $65 billion in losses last year for Asia-Pacific

Economic losses in the Asia Pacific region soared to $65 billion due to natural disasters, mainly fueled by floods in China and droughts in India, as reported by insurance company Aon. Hadynyah | E+ | Getty Images Economic losses in the Asia Pacific region due to natural disasters soared to $65 billion in 2023, mainly … Read more

The ‘Taylor Swift effect’ aims to provide water during Brazil’s life-threatening heat waves

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian climatologist Núbia Beray Armond for years had been sounding the alarm about Rio de Janeiro’s need for an extreme heat plan including water distribution. Interest was tepid until a disastrous Taylor Swift concert — and now her phone won’t stop ringing. A stifling heat wave blanketed southeast Brazil the day … Read more

Arizona’s most populous county has confirmed 645 heat-associated deaths in metro Phoenix last year

PHOENIX — Public health officials in Arizona’s most populous county on Wednesday reported they confirmed a staggering 645 heat-associated deaths last year — more than 50% higher than 2022 and another consecutive annual record in arid metro Phoenix. The numbers in the preliminary report by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health alarmed officials in … Read more

In a rural California region, a plan takes shape to provide shade from dangerous heat

MECCA, Calif. — When Limba Contreras moved to the desert community of Oasis, California, about 50 years ago, her family relied on a water cooler to keep temperatures inside their home comfortable. Other times, they sprayed each other with a hose outside. But when the heat topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38 Celsius), the cooler … Read more

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke harm low-income and nonwhite communities the most, study finds

LOS ANGELES — Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are independently harmful to the human body, but together their impact on cardiovascular and respiratory systems is more dangerous and affects some communities more than others. A study published Friday in the journal Science Advances said climate change is increasing the frequency of both hazards, particularly in … Read more