US+Heat+Wave+(1988)

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=The US Heat Wave of 1988 =

By: Robyn Willey



=What is a heat wave? =

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A heat wave is the term used for when an excessive amount of time is consumed by extremely hot temperatures and often times very high humidity. When temperatures reach approximately 10 degrees Fahrenheit above average for several days or longer it is considered excessive, thus the term heat wave is used. In the US, summers are often plagued with heat waves usually lasting no longer than a few days, but can be excruciatingly uncomfortable and dangerous. While other natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes are looked at as the most dangerous natural events, heat waves kill more Americans per year than any other natural disaster. Heat stroke, sunstroke, and dehydration are major concerns in the event of a heat wave and should be taken very seriously in the event of excessive heat and humidity. ======

=How is it dangerous? =

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Many people overlook heat as being dangerous and see it more as a nuisance. However, in extreme events, it can be more dangerous than most people imagine. The body has an automatic cooling system in case of excessive warmth. By sweating, the liquid perspired onto your skin evaporates into the air, thus cooling you down. In the event of a heat wave, especially a very humid one, it takes much more energy for the sweat to evaporate since the moisture content in the air is already so high. The human body has to work extra hard to cool itself down and can overheat, possibly leading to severe damage to the body or death. Other conditions such as heat cramps or heat exhaustion can also occur in extreme heat. ======

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Heat waves are even more dangerous when in an urban area. The air is much more stagnant as compared to rural areas and the air becomes filled with pollutants, worsening the effects and conditions of a heat wave. Also, since urban areas consist much of asphalt and concrete, which trap heat, the air becomes even hotter. At night the heat is slow to escape from the ground, causing the temperatures to be much higher. This effect is known as the "urban heat island effect". ======

=How do you stay safe? =

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In the event of a heat wave it is extremely important to be able to stay cool. It is best to stay indoors and in air conditioning/cooled conditions if possible. In the event that this is not possible, have plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated and do not perform in any heavy physical activity. ======

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As well as keeping yourself safe, it is important to keep others safe. For instance, one of the most common ways to die from excessive heat, especially in a heat wave, is to be left in the car. Cars trap and hold heat extremely well and if anyone or anything is in it, they can easily overheat. The following animation explains how cars hold heat. ======

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"The atmosphere and the windows of a car are relatively transparent to the sun’s shortwave radiation yellow in figure below) and are warmed little. This shortwave energy, however, does heat objects it strikes. For example, a dark dashboard or seat can easily reach temperatures in the range of 180°F to more than 200°F. These objects, e.g., dashboard, steering wheel, child seat, heat the adjacent air by conduction and convection and give off long-wave radiation (infrared), which efficiently warms the air trapped inside a vehicle (NOAA)".

=The Heat Wave of 1988 =

 In 1988 there were several bouts of heat waves along with a drought that resulted in forest fires and a death toll of up to 17,000. Considered one of the worst heat waves/droughts ever, the dryness in the air caused numerous dust storms in the dust bowl and left the country sweltering. Massive forest fires broke out across the country, mostly in the western US, costing in total about $60 billion in damages. One huge fire that broke out due to the drought and heat wave was the Yellowstone fire, which burned continuously for several months. At the peak of the drought approximately 45% of the nation was suffering, a massive piece of the United States. The drought of 1988 is what fueled the heat wave that hit that summer and intensified its effects. Due to the dryness of the air, crops were destroyed and water was scarce. The drought, intensified by the heat wave, continued into 1989 and did not officially end until 1990. For two years a large portion of the country suffered from the drought year-round and the heat wave in the summers. In later events, such as Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Katrina, the heat wave/drought of 1988 was brought up, being said to have similar severity in how it affected the country.

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=The Yellowstone Fire = 

During the drought/heat wave of 1988, one of the most devastating fires in the country's history broke out in Yellowstone National Park. The fire was caused by the infamous drought/ heat wave of '88 that plagued the US for over a year and threw 45% of the nation into drought. The fire burned for several months and ended up destroying approximately 36% of the park (793,000 acres). The fire only ended in November when the first snows of the season started to put it out. As the map above shows, the park (and regions outside of it) were greatly affected and a lot of it burned. The property losses after the fire amounted to about $3 million as well as loss of plant and animal life. Luckily, no person was killed by the fires, including the firefights that fought to keep the inferno under control.

In the end, the fires, while at one point devastating, turned out having a very positive effect in the long run. "In the several years following 1988, ample precipitation combined with the short-term effects of ash and nutrient influx to make for spectacular displays of wildflowers in burned areas. And, where serotinous lodge-pole pines were burned, seed densities ranged from 50,000 to 1 million per acre, beginning a new cycle of forest growth under the blackened canopy above" (nps.gov).

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Works Cited: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Droughts and Heat Waves." Severe-wx /. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Facts About Heat Waves." Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Heat Wave Alert." YouTube. YouTube, 05 Oct. 2007. Web. 29 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"The Heat Wave Is Here: 'There Is a Risk of People Dying,' Regional Medical Officer Says." The World Preservation Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Heat Waves, Wildfires, & Global Warming." YouTube. YouTube, 03 July 2012. Web. 29 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"National Weather Service Heat Safety." National Weather Service Heat Safety. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Recent, For More Information on." National Parks Service. National Parks Service, 24 May 2013. Web. 29 May 2013.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Samenow, Jason. "Heat Wave and Poor Air Quality Grip East Coast." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 08 June 2011. Web. 29 May 2013. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">