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Tag: extreme heat
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Extreme heat days surge as temperature records tumble
A new report has found a dramatic increase in extreme heat days around the world over the past year (from May 15, 2023 to May 15, 2024).
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University of Sydney launches HeatWatch app
The University of Sydney has launched a mobile app that calculates heat-related health risks across Australia.
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Australia formally declares El Niño weather event
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has formally declared an El Niño weather event, meaning one is under way for the first time in eight years. El Niño is a major climate driver linked to hot, dry weather, which can increase the risk of bushfires in Australia. The major climate event impacts the weather patterns of 60 per cent of the […]
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Time to prepare cooling centres in Australia?
Heatwaves with record-setting peaks, duration, and timing are becoming more and more familiar around the world. Last week, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service declared that June–August – the northern hemisphere summer – was the hottest such period since records began in 1940, topping the previous record by a significant margin. In Phoenix, Arizona, […]
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Humidity may increase heat risk in urban climates
Researchers at Yale University have found that heat stress in urban areas is dependent on local climate, and that a humidifying effect can erase the cooling benefits that would come from trees and vegetation. According to the researchers, as temperatures across the globe reach record-level highs, it follows that urban areas are also facing increased […]
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CSIRO predicts more climate extremes
CSIRO has released its seventh biennial State of the Climate report, projecting that in coming decades Australians are likely to experience more heat and fewer cold extremes, as well as more time in drought, more dangerous fire days, and a longer fire season for large areas. The report draws on Australian and international climate research […]
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Winners announced in Cooling Solutions Challenge
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the winners of the Cooling Solutions Challenge prize competition. The initiative offered a total of US$195,000 (AU$290,000), for climate-friendly cooling innovations to protect people against extreme heat. Solutions were sought to help first responders, individuals, households, or displaced populations keep cool during extreme heat events, which […]
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Breakthrough building materials moderate temperature
A research team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has developed innovative materials that can moderate building temperatures. Designed by Scientia Professor Mat Santamouris (Anita Lawrence Chair High in Performance Architecture at the School of Built Environment, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture), the new materials adjust the optical properties in conventional coatings for buildings. The design […]
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Resilient Sydney: Extreme heat our biggest risk
Resilient Sydney – a strategy document created by 33 Sydney metropolitan councils and the 100 Resilient Cities initiative – has stressed the importance of planning for climate change. The strategy document was released this week with the aim of strengthening the city’s ability to survive, adapt and thrive in the face of increasing global uncertainty […]