Sizzling heatwave continues to dominate this summer. The high humidity levels exacerbate the unpleasant conditions.
In July 2022, the United States experienced unprecedented levels of humidity, with several cities and states setting new local records. This record-breaking humidity significantly increased the "real feel" heat index, pushing temperatures into the triple digits in various regions.
Central Texas' Hill Country region was hit hard by catastrophic flooding last month, claiming at least 120 lives. The Midwest, East Coast, and mid-Atlantic regions were particularly intensely humid, with more than a dozen states in the Lower 48 experiencing record high humidity.
According to a 2022 study by Climate Central, the combination of high heat and humidity can affect the body's ability to cool itself down through sweating. This was evident in the extreme conditions that occurred last month, with heat index values soaring into triple digits for extended periods in Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida.
In Paducah, Kentucky, a stretch of high heat and humidity from July 16 to 30 set a slew of new records for the city, with humidity levels 300% above its normal July levels. The local branch of the National Weather Service announced that this was the longest stretch of continuously high humidity in the past 75 years.
The intense humidity also contributed to increased storm activity, storms, and thunderstorms, raising the likelihood of flash floods in some regions. Preliminary data on humidity levels in July was compiled by researchers at Oregon State University.
The effects on health from this record-high humidity include greater risk of heat-related illnesses. Pittsburgh, Roanoke, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., all registered their most humid July in recorded history last month, with New York City and Raleigh, North Carolina, having their second-most-humid July. Humidity in Detroit and Cincinnati reached their third-highest levels last month.
The National Weather Service highlighted that such extreme humidity is unusual and exacerbated by climate change driven by human activities, suggesting that hotter and more humid summers are becoming more normal and will continue to intensify. So far this year, more than 3,000 flash flood warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service, the highest number on record.
While no global records were mentioned for July 2022, the severe humidity spikes in the U.S. contributed significantly to heat stress and weather impacts on health and infrastructure. The world has experienced record high temperatures and heat indices in the past, such as the highest dew point temperature ever recorded being 35°C (95°F) at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 2003, combined with a heat index of 81.1°C (178°F).
In summary, the record-breaking humidity in July 2022 posed serious threats to health and public safety, with increased heat index values causing health risks and contributing to more frequent severe storms and floods due to climate change intensifying summer humidity and heat. Data sources documenting these humidity records include the Iowa Environmental Mesonet and the National Weather Service in the U.S.
- The unprecedented levels of humidity experienced in the United States in July 2022, as indicated by the National Weather Service, are attributed to climate change driven by human activities, causing health risks, more frequent severe storms, and floods, and contributing to increased heat stress.
- The scientific community, such as Climate Central and researchers at Oregon State University, have suggested that the combination of high heat and humidity, which affects the body's ability to cool itself down through sweating, is a significant concern in the context of health-and-wellness and environmental-science, given the increasing implications for public safety and the effects of climate-change on weather patterns.
