The North American heatwave shows how climate change will affect our weather

— US National Aeronautics and Space Administration

This is where our innocuous rain event made waves again: the locked region of high pressure air set off one of the most extraordinary heatwaves we have ever seen, smashing temperature records in the Pacific north-west of the United States and in Western Canada as far north as the Arctic. Lytton in British Columbia, Canada, hit 49.6°C in early July before suffering a devastating wildfire.

When this happens, the warming of the air by sinking alone can be further intensified by the ground heating the air – which is especially powerful if the ground was already dry. In the north- western United States and western Canada, heatwaves are compounded by the warming produced by air sinking after it crosses the Rocky Mountains.

Another important feature of heatwaves is that they are often accompanied by high rainfall closer to the Equator. When south-east Australia experiences heatwaves, northern Australia often experiences rain. These rain events are not just side effects, they actively enhance and prolong heatwaves.Understanding the mechanics of what causes heatwaves is very important if we want to know how they might change as the planet gets hotter.

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