Arizona and the rest of the Southwest have suffered extreme heat waves but the latest was more severe than the previous ones. The sweltering heat was recorded to have reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit and grounded a lot of airplanes. With their severity getting more serious almost every year, it is expected that it will significantly affect how people live.
Here are some of the areas which will be greatly affected by the heat:
Food
Vegetation and animals, which are the main sources of food for humans, are vulnerable to climate changes. The extreme heat can destroy one season's crop yields and kill livestock. A study published in the journal Nature revealed that 20 percent of crop yields between 1964 and 2007 have decreased due to global warming. Farmers from some parts of the world have started to plant crops that can withstand drought.
Health
Humans cannot withstand extreme heat. Going into such conditions for an extended period of time can cause heatstroke, which can lead to death. Although buildings and transportation in places in hot weather are specially designed, scientists say that more extreme weather is going to happen more often.
What more, they say that these extreme weather conditions may go on for longer periods of time, more than what is being experienced now. In fact, an MIT-led study showed that temperatures in the Middle East could go beyond the 170ºF threshold.
Transportation
Extreme heat has caused flight delays because airplanes cannot fly under such conditions. Highways and railroads are also affected by the heat. If the weather gets worse every year, airplane manufacturers need to build airplanes that can withstand extreme heat and airports need to extend their runways.
Transportation, health, and the food supply are not the only things that will totally change as the weather changes for the worst. The electric supply could also be affected since the demand will be high which could result in shortage.
