Jul 18, 2019
Climate change means planning for further suffocating heat waves
In Washington, D.C. “high heat days” are expected to more than double in the next 50 years.
A woman cools off in the fountain at Washington Square Park during the heat wave on July 17, 2019 in New York City.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
A heat wave sweeping the Northeast through the weekend will make the nation’s capital feel just two degrees shy of the Mojave Desert — 110 degrees, according to Accuweather.
This kind of heat isn’t just uncomfortable, it can be dangerous, and — with climate change — it’s getting more common. Local governments are activating emergency plans, opening cooling centers and watching out for power outages. Climate change watchers expect the cost to rise.
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