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Summer 2021 Heatwaves In Western Canada Was One Of The Deadliest, New UK Study

A team of researchers across several universities in the UK jointly collaborated to study the heatwaves in western North America using advanced modelling and analysis techniques. The researchers concluded that the heatwaves that tore through western North America was amongst the six hottest ever recorded history. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.

According to the study, heatwaves similar to that of last year has a one in six chances occurring every year from the 2080s. The study also included scenarios if emissions were reduced. In that case, the likelihood of extreme heatwaves could be drastically reduced to one in a thousand chances per year.

During the extreme heatwaves last year, there were around 600 deaths attributed to severe temperatures, which hit 49.6 degrees Celsius on one day before wildfires erupted. Human induced climate change set the right conditions for high atmospheric pressure and drought propelled the heatwaves, according to the study.

The researchers used advanced modelling systems to forecast the likelihood of similar heatwaves occurring within this century and noted that there is a one in six chance of extreme heatwaves occurring at the later part of this century. It is worth noting that the researches used the worst case scenario to arrive at this conclusion.